Kids & Family

Chatham’s Noe Pond Club Celebrates Float Day

Inflatable ice cream cones, donuts, pizza slices, dinosaurs, sharks and unicorns joined in on Noe Pond Club's floating fun.

CHATHAM, NJ — An annual Noe Pond Club tradition was celebrated recently, with floats of all shapes and sizes drifting on the water for their yearly Float Day, something families look forward to each summer.

As part of the emblem-based badge system that Noe Pond Club adopted in the 1950s, swimmers must advance to be able to use floats, as well as diving boards, boats, a water trampoline, a log-roll and similar things, for an even splashier and safe good time in the water.

Though kids typically need to have a “Maroon Shark” emblem designation for floats, on this day, however, lifeguards organize and supervise the children in different areas and time slots, depending on age and ability, for a safe and fun Float Day for all.

Find out what's happening in Chathamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Every day at Noe is a good one, but Float Day is especially fun for all ages,” Amanda Quinn, a Summer 2021 committee member said.

Ruth Ann Connors, who has been a member for close to four decades, said she loved seeing all of the children having fun on their floats.

Find out what's happening in Chathamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Given all that kids have been through this year, it was just so nice to see them enjoy safe summer fun and participate in this and other Noe traditions,” said Connors.

Scotty and RJ Readlinger, who are 12 and 10, called Float Day “one of their favorite days of the summer.”

“Everyone can bring a float to the pond and you can play together and that’s what I did with a lot of my friends,” said Jackson Falkner, who is seven-years-old.

“I brought a unicorn and a shark [float] and my friend Peter brought a dinosaur and an ice cream,” Falkner added.

“This is a very special place and family fun traditions like this we hope to experience for generations to come,” Quinn said.

For details about membership at the Noe Pond Club, contact [email protected].

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: [email protected].


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.