<p>collegemom:
The thing is that down by the fiji gorges, were Doug drowned, there are numerous signs and memorial plaques for people who drowned in the exact same spot. However it is still the most popular place to go gorge swimming on campus.</p>
<p>Although putting signs up would make Cornell look more “responsible” I don’t think it will actually prevent anyone from swimming in the gorges.</p>
<p>As long as the sign isn’t tacky and detracts from the beauty of the natural landscape, sure. But you have to realize that this is the exactly the type of thing that fraternity brothers love to steal to ornament their houses with.</p>
<p>The signs/plaques that are there now don’t say anything about <em>why</em> it’s dangerous. Sure, you may know that some people have drowned there, but you’re free to assume that they were drunk, didn’t know how to swim, or whatever. You may therefore (wrongly) assume that the warnings don’t apply to you. A sign explaining the sudden undertows could make a big difference. </p>
<p>The gorges are beautiful, fun, and a wonderful side benefit of attending Cornell, but the danger is just not clear to a lot of people. Cornell students aren’t stupid and most aren’t even reckless, they just need some education on the subject. </p>
<p>I think that a short lesson at orientation on gorge hydrodynamics and some explicit warning signs would help to spread the word. I don’t think that’s asking too much.</p>
<p>A short lesson is given along with a packet. A packet no one ever reads and a lesson that no one takes to heart or pay attention to. Swimming in the gorges is the reason why Cornell mandates that every student know how to swim.</p>
<p>it should be a mandatory class new students have to go to during orientation, where attendance is taken. this tragedy cant happen ever again. we cant let it</p>
<p>[Gorge</a> pools popular in spite of history marked by deaths | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal](<a href=“http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080627/NEWS01/806270325&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL]Gorge”>http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080627/NEWS01/806270325&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL)</p>
<p>Maybe posting these two quotes from the article at the top of the trail would get the point across.</p>
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<p>the memorial service is on september 15th…</p>
<p>source gave me bad info then. i’ll correct it.</p>
<p>do you have the time, location etc?</p>
<p>E-mail Dean Kent Hubbel’s office and I’m sure they will have information for you if Cornell is involved with planning the memorial service.</p>
<p>To kdmom from 2006(gorge death at Cornell) 5 years later my son died in a gorge drowning…still no info on what the water is like beneath the surface…On July 2nd,2011, on a hot day, he and friends went swimming…he was the most risk adverse young man I knew. How many more need to occur? Yes, another memorial service will occur and life will move on…but never the same for me and my family.</p>
<p>mrmrmom… There are no words to express my great sadness that you have lost your beautiful son. I realize that it is so very soon after his loss but you can spare so many others from this horrific tragedy by making the passing of your son in the gorges, known on these threads, and throughout the Ithaca region. Please warn the freshman who are entering Cornell this year and remind the older students that this could happen to them. </p>
<p>As a parent it was a great fear of mine since my son’s love the outdoors and often swam in the gorges (more so freshman year). This past summer the day before graduation they had been swimming, and for the first time they were met by police officers who thankfully took their names and were about to issue them tickets. One of the tickets were for having beer with them. It was the day after graduation that a student passed away…there but for the grace of God. There are so many parents who if they only knew how dangerous these gorges are would remind their children often and perhaps make their voices heard to the administration that police need to patrol these areas often and ISSUE the fines. Make the fines expensive and make the police presence constant. This is a tragedy that should not happen to another young person. </p>
<p>All I can say to you is that my heart aches for you as a parent. You should never of had to suffer this pain and I pray that you will keep the tragedy of his passing alive in the mind of every student who decides to take their life for granted by swimming in the gorges. What has happened to your precious son is beyond words. You have and will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.</p>
<p>unfortunately unless they start actually strongly enforcing the illegality of swimming in the gorges, people are not going to stop. they are one of the most beautiful and attractive features of the campus and while the tragedy that has occurred is known, people assume that if they are strong swimmers, sober, etc. that they have nothing to worry about. 
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<p>also, i’m pretty sure there are certain areas/gorges that are much, much more dangerous than others, and we have no way of knowing that because the signs just say you can’t swim anywhere. people think that these are just silly laws that aren’t being enforced, and don’t realize the real dangers until something actually happens. if we were told that a certain area is very dangerous because of a strong undertow but that another area is less dangerous to swim in as long as you are careful and use common sense, most people would obviously avoid the more dangerous area. but they don’t tell us these things because of the liability implications. </p>
<p>there needs to be more open education about why certain places are so dangerous—nobody really knows, especially not when you first get here, and if you don’t know the real reasoning/explanation you just assume its not a big deal</p>
<p>I do agree that there isn’t much done about warning people of the gorges. This past freshman year, I had an idea that gorges had disastrous potential for swimmers, but other than read information, I’ve never really heard anyone (such as OL’s) talk about the dangers of going into the gorges.</p>
<p>How common is swimming in gorges in terms of student population? Are there times when all of your friends will go to the unapproved areas and you’re basically stuck with nothing to do if you don’t go?</p>
<p>You might run into a situation where some of your friends decide to go swimming, but as with doing any of a number of unapproved things, you definitely don’t have to go with them. Would you rather have a boring evening or die? (or find something else to do more likely, boredom is rare at Cornell) Anyway, I don’t think this is something you’ll have to think about often or deal with ever probably.</p>
<p>I disagree with the grave pronouncements of gorge swimming. Are there tragic deaths? Yes, of course. However, if you swim in SOME gorges in and around Ithaca, such as 2nd dam and the state park, you will likely suffer no consequences other than a good time. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of the natural beauties around ithaca, they’re part of why you chose CU, right?</p>
<p>The problem is that most folks can’t be bothered to get to state parks anyway. You’ll be amazed at how many people don’t even leave campus to check out the town. Most of that is from unwillingness or ignorance unfortunately.</p>
<p>There are many beautiful places to go swimming just as there are gorges to stay the heck away from. There are spots that are ok to wade in on campus but the gorge swimming that we are talking about are dangerous. Students are intelligent enough to be at Cornell than they should understand how fragile life could be. Just because you are 18 to 22 does not mean that you can’t die. There have been enough deaths and that should be enough to scare the hell of anyone swimming in the on campus gorges. Go to the state parks…there are plenty of students with cars on campus. The lake is also available on the far end of campus to go swimming so there is no reason to take stupid chances.</p>