The Tards do Comal Trashfest

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

scubabum2

Contributor
Messages
398
Reaction score
0
Location
Plano, TX
# of dives
500 - 999
I wasn't planning on doing a trip report on this event but I saw that Foo was harrassing me in a different thread to post something so here goes...

I headed down last Friday night and met up with a friend who went down earlier in the day. He stayed at a hotel but I decided to stay at the Landa RV camp right on the Comal to save some bucks.

We met up late at Montana Mike's. This place has great food at cheap prices - the peppercorn steak is awesome. We hung around for a few drinks and then headed out. I wandered around the campsite for a while and met Archman and several of his group from Aggieland. Several were gearing up for a night dive (at about midnight) and I was tired from my drive, so I wandered back to my tent for some shuteye. Not!

The biggest plus about Landa RV is that its close to everything and right on the Comal. The worst thing about Landa RV is that there are train tracks on site and the train comes by regularly, blowing its horn repeatedly as it makes its way through town. I went to Walgreens and got earplugs on Sat night. Landa RV is just that, an RV site, but they allow camping. But don't think of lush grass to put your tent on. Nope, its hard rock, so bring an air mattress with you.

We met up early Saturday morning and headed over to the Fairgrounds where the event begins. There was quite a bit of activity and I think it began to dawn on me at that point that this event was heavily attended by our Houston area compadres (gee, could that be because the Texas Gulf Coast Council of Dive Clubs puts it on?) since most everyone seemed to know each other and there were tons of Houston-area club & shop banners. I still ran into a few people I knew from the DFW area though.

Since it was just the 2 of us, we had to wait around to be assigned to a team of 8. We finally were assigned to a family of 3 and a father & son group (7, 8 whatever). Then all teams drew to see what area of the Comal they would clean up from 11AM - 1PM (You can clean up anywhere from 1PM - 3PM). I believe they divided the river into around 8 sections. We drew the area between the city chute and the Schlitterbahn bridge. Since there were over 200 participants, at least 2 groups were assigned to work each section.

We headed over to our section and promptly lost the father & son who knew some people on the other team working our section (I never quite knew where they were ). Anyhow, the 5 of us proceeded to gear up and start cleaning. But, there were 3 problems. First, the depth in this section of the Comal is about 2-3 feet. Second, the chute and 2 dams create lots of turbulence, so its nearly impossible to scuba in this area. You can, but you can probably see the stuff in the water just as easily standing up. Third, there just wasn't much stuff in the water. I decided to take off my gear and start picking up trash along the steep banks. Got quite a bit, but would have much rather been UW.

The 5 of us agreed to go over to the Last Exit area for the 1-3PM dives. The family of 3 headed over early. As I was taking my gear up, I was approached by a FOX reporter out of S.A. who ended up interviewing both me & my friend about the cleanup. About that time, the missing father & son wandered up saying that they had heard about a huge cache of cans at the Schlitterbahn. My friend & I and reporters headed over to the Schlitterbahn, but were told that the area was about cleaned out. We then decided to stick to our original plan and head to the Last Exit with reporters in tow. Somehow, we lost father & son again for good.

By the way, the 2 of us got about 4 sacks of trash during the 2 hours. Since there was no place to put it, we carried it with us in our SUVs. Others had brought pickups, but I'm still waiting for gas to cheaper before I make a 500 mile round trip in it. Does any seasoned Trashfest person have a suggestion about the trash hauling situation?

At the Last Exit, there were numerous divers, several who had been assigned there originally. We also found the family of 3 again. We did the photo ops with the reporters and then the 2 of us split up. I headed downstream while he headed upstream. He hit the jackpot on cans but I may have got 1 1/2 sacks full. No sign of the family either. Since we really didn't get that much trash during the day, we ended up giving a bunch of it to a homeless guy collecting cans and the rest to one of the CHUM groups. Anything to get it out of the car.

We did a fun dive over at Landa park and then cleaned up and headed back to the Fairgrounds for the awards/prize/food/beer thing. Good food, lots of prizes, free beer, what can you say. Some of the prizes were scuba-themed, many came from the NB area - things like restaurant coupons, toob/raft coupons, etc. I won a rafting trip & my friend won a tubing trip. Guess I'll have to go buy me a hacky sack and a beer bong to go with it. Woo hoo!

We headed out early from the event to grab some drinks and watch some college FB on TV. The next morning, we went and dove the Last Exit again. We went upstream for a ways and hit on two huge caches of cans - you could probably be there all day and not get all of them. So there will be plenty left over for next year. All in all, a very good time.

Lessons learned:
1) Stay at a different campsite or at least bring earplugs if you camp at Landa RV unless you want to be awakened multiple times at night.

2) Sign up for Trashfest as a team and have a plan.

3) Do it for one reason - to clean up the river. You may not get to scuba the whole time and you may not find much trash. But every little bit helps.

4) North Texas needs to have stronger presence in this thing next year!
 
One thing I forgot to mention. On our Sat afternoon dive at Landa park, I bet I saw 5-6 huge plecostomuses on the river bottom. Probably a foot long or more. First time I've seen one out of an aquarium.
 
Great report!

We need to make a convoy group for next year.
I was interested but family plans and gas prices interrupted.

In reference to the armored catfish- you should see them under the falls at San Marcos River. There is a square room (small) to the right side of the falls and they sit in there.

Also has anyone felt around in the square holes in the Guadalupe River?
I have been walking down the Guadalupe river in the past and just feel into large square holes. The one I am thinking of was at least 9ft squared. That would be interesting to see what’s in the bottom- Beer cans?

Andrew
 
scubabum2:
I wasn't planning on doing a trip report on this event but I saw that Foo was harrassing me in a different thread to post something so here goes...
Well, at least you know harrassment when you see it, gee! You also knew you wouldn't get me off your back until you took care of my needs. Thank you for a very good report!

scubabum2:
The worst thing about Landa RV is that there are train tracks on site and the train comes by regularly, blowing its horn repeatedly as it makes its way through town.
LMAO, we stayed right by that $%&@# train when we stayed at Landa! He is not exaggerating, it is one LOUD train.

scubabum2:
Guess I'll have to go buy me a hacky sack and a beer bong to go with it. Woo hoo!

Sounds like some folks just never grew up... whew, what a relief!
 
You're all pansies. Drink enough beer, you don't hear those trains no more...
 
Archman,
Believe me you can hear dem trains from #503. I had plenty of beer in me both nights for uninterrupted sleep. Friday night was a nightmare but Saturday night was tolerable with those cheap earplugs. Maybe I need to take an A&M internet course on the effects of alcohol consumption on humans.

Foo, I love taking care of your internet needs :)

Marcos, Just like the San...
 
Thanks for coming out and we're glad that y'all had a good time. Please join us again next year, and bring some more folks with you. It's gonna be bigger and better. This year TrashFest participants collected 1, 784 lbs. of trash plus 8,898 cans/bottles and 80 shoes and sunglasses. :luxhello: The folks who joined us for the BBQ took home over $11,000 in door prizes, as well.

A stronger North Texas showing is one of my goals for next year, and it would be great if someone would volunteer to help with publicity up there. Mostly contacting dive clubs & shops, so if you'd be willing to help with that, please shoot me a message. It would be great if we could get someone to do the same in the Austin/San Antonio area, too.

Keep an eye on the TGCC Website(http://www.tgccdiving.org/trashfest/trashfest.html) for pictures from this year's event and info on the t-shirt design competition, both coming soon.

If you have any pics you'd like posted there, email them to trashfest@tgccdiving.org
 
Get more onion sacks!!
 
scubabum2:
Archman,
Maybe I need to take an A&M internet course on the effects of alcohol consumption on humans.

Mark-
Thanks for the great report. Sorry we did not join you that weekend and sorry to hear about the darn train. We will join you next year!

Why not take a Texas Tech internet course instead?

Gig Em, Beth
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom