October 2nd Trashfest new braunfels, YIKES

[archman]

I just heard about this today, and was all keen on going. Then I looked up their website and was dismayed by all the rules, entry fees, and what not... certainly very different from the Trashfest held in nearby San Marcos.

http://www.trashfest.org/

Anybody been to this before? What's with the steep entry fee and rigid dive team rules? Several sponsors for the event are listed, and a huge list of prize donors. So why $14 a diver to get in, and dive teams of exactly 8 (two of which have to stay on the surface for support)? Yuk!

It all seems suspicious to me, and disappointingly over-managed. Maybe I'm just paranoid. In any event it's too much work and effort for me to go, alas. Could I get previous divers' impressions?

 

[kman458]

i was all for going till i saw the entry fee. i was like they want me to pay them to help clean the river up? i was told by people that went last year that there was no fee, they had free air fills, free t-shirts for the divers, food and drinks if you were diving, and great door prizes and dinner that evening. looks like i will pass on it if they want to be that way. and it is not like i do not pick up arm loads of cans when ever i dive there with the lds when the have open water cert dives there.

 

[DiverG]

You get a pretty dang good BBQ dinner, and door prizes. In the past, free beer has also been served at the dinner.

For each category of competition there are prizes(tshirts) awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Some of the past door prizes have included live aboard trips, and land based vacations of various lengths.

Over all it's a great time especially if the weather is nice.

PS Your dive team is a maxium of eight. If you have fewer you can still participate. I do believe there is a slight reduction in price for teams of eight. Plus if you do not have a full team of eight, they will add you to teams that are short handed.

 

[DiverG]

i was all for going till i saw the entry fee. i was like they want me to pay them to help clean the river up? i was told by people that went last year that there was no fee, they had free air fills, free t-shirts for the divers, food and drinks if you were diving, and great door prizes and dinner that evening. looks like i will pass on it if they want to be that way. and it is not like i do not pick up arm loads of cans when ever i dive there with the lds when the have open water cert dives there.

There has always been a fee at Trashfest. It's a fund raiser for the Texas Gulf Coast Council of Diving. There are not free tshirts unless you place 1st, 2nd or 3rd in each competing category. There hasn't been free airfills in the past, but I believe the NB fire dept will be providing free air this year.

Food and drink isn't really free. It's part of the entry fee. If you want to bring non diving/non participating people you can purchase a dinner ticket at registration.

 

[kman458]

There has always been a fee at Trashfest. It's a fund raiser for the Texas Gulf Coast Council of Diving. There are not free tshirts unless you place 1st, 2nd or 3rd in each competing category. There hasn't been free airfills in the past, but I believe the NB fire dept will be providing free air this year.

Food and drink isn't really free. It's part of the entry fee. If you want to bring non diving/non participating people you can purchase a dinner ticket at registration.

cool i guess that the reports that i got were not quite accurate then. hope it goes well for all that attend. too bad i have made other plans for that weekend.

 

[archman]

The San Marcos Trashfest doesn't have fees, or at least they didn't this year. Perhaps folks are confusing that Trashfest with the Trashfest in New Braunfels. They have the exact same name and are adjacent cities, after all.

That said, I've been to both Guadalupe and San Marcos river cleanups, as well as Lake Travis ones. Never have I paid a fee to participate. It goes against the grain!

 

[Diver Kat]

Lake Travis clean-up is free, there's a burger-hot dog lunch outside of Carlos & Charlies on the lake, a free T-shirt & door prize drawings ..... and usually some little give-aways in a small bag ....

 

[Dee]

I agree with Archman. I see no reason to pay to clean up someone elses mess, especially in an area I never dive in. It's not even divers messes, it's crap the tubers and tourists leave behind.

I know lots of folks who go and have a great time, to each their own. The money raised goes to TGCC and is a good cause, the prizes are nice and I'm glad folks enjoy it. However, I'd much rather spend my time and effort cleaning up an area I use, my money to go to supporting a marine environment, and for something that won't be trashed by the same people year after year.

Like I said...to each their own.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

I agree with Archman. I see no reason to pay to clean up someone elses mess, especially in an area I never dive in. It's not even divers messes, it's crap the tubers and tourists leave behind.

I know lots of folks who go and have a great time, to each their own. The money raised goes to TGCC and is a good cause, the prizes are nice and I'm glad folks enjoy it. However, I'd much rather spend my time and effort cleaning up an area I use, my money to go to supporting a marine environment, and for something that won't be trashed by the same people year after year.

Like I said...to each their own.

I agree with you Dee. We have been in the past but after going to the Trashurehunt in San Marcos I think it is mo better to clean the area we use on a regular basis.

No fees and The Dive Shop in San Marcos donates most of the prizes plus a free bar-b-que meal after the cleanup. They aware plaques for the most trash etc. We had a great Swamper turnout last spring. Some how we missed Archman but picked up a couple of his compadres to join us.

 

[archman]

We had a great Swamper turnout last spring. Some how we missed Archman but picked up a couple of his compadres to join us.

Yeah thanks for reminding me parrot! I'd almost blanked that memory out. I got held up at Spring Lake, making puckerfaces at cichlids.