I have been surfing the north side of the Indian River Inlet since 1967.  When I read the recent article about efforts to protect the new inlet bridge from storm waves, I was troubled by proposals for beach replenishment and widening the beach.

The north side of the Inlet is one of the few remaining surfing beaches in Delaware. Up until the recent beach replenishment projects in Rehoboth, Dewey and Bethany, there were several excellent places to surf along the Delaware shore. But beach replenishment ruined most of those places.

Everyone recognizes the need to protect the new inlet bridge from the types of storm surges that occurred during Hurricane Sandy. And those of us who surf the inlet know that sand pumping has been going on there for years.

But before the state takes on a major replenishment and widening project on the north side of the inlet, there really should be careful analysis of how such a project might affect the surfing there. That analysis should include measures to mitigate any impacts to surfing.

Bill Cook
Rehoboth Beach