TrashFest '08 - Oct 4th

[ReefHound]

Team Registration is completed at the fairgrounds from 8am to 10am. See the website for location. I recommend getting there early since once all your team has completed the paperwork (waivers, show c-cards), gets their section assignment, and other info (like where to park and where to weigh in), you will be released to begin diving. The sooner you get started, the more water time you will have to collect trash.

It might be a long hot day. Bring sunscreen, hats, bottled water, snacks, maybe a sack lunch. Most river sections can be reached without a long walk. Bring your share of the team registration fee.

 

[lmwb_1977]

I couldnt figure out mass private message so this is to my team members...



Dear Team Bullheads,

Soon we will grasp our victory at the Comal river cleanup, here are the details.

Saturday Oct 4th, meet up at 8am at the Comal County Fairgrounds, we are pre-registered as a team and I have already paid our fee to save us a few bucks. If you are not able to make it let me know ASAP so I can make sure we get our team up to 8 members again.

When you get there call me (Email for number if you dont already have it) and Ill let you know where our group has loitered while waiting to check in.

What to bring…
Tanks – Im bringing two, its up to you how many you want to bring, diving is from 8 to 3, so we have plenty of time to collect things and since its shallow I suspect we will get good use out of a tank. Airfills are available so if someone doesn’t want to bring a tank they can pay to refill mine and use it for the dives they are on.

C Card, they will NOT check you in without it

Bags to collect trash in, mesh, empty onion bags, anything that will hold our over abundance of trash.

Food - they are providing dinner but you may be hungry before then

Any questions please email me at lisamariekull@gmail.com, I am unable to get on scuba board very often and my work hours are crazy so the safest bet is either email me or call my cell (email me if you want/need the number)
See ya there…

LM

Edit to add, everyone owes 5 bucks for their share of the reg fee, except Kvalve as I owe him for a shirt. Bring anything you would need for a day of diving, including drinks, gear, weights, ect. Bring sunscreen , uhhh what else am I forgetting? If anyone wants to meet up before hand for breakfest at 630ish let me know and Ill be there.

 

[ReefHound]

Tips

Bring lots of weight. This is one time you do not want to be neutrally buoyant. It's shallow and the current is swift in places. I usually wear about 8# more than I would for a typical fresh water dive.

Wear gloves. You'll be grabbing cans and other objects which may have jagged edges. Be careful.

Be safe. Surface support should know where your team's divers are and who is in the water at all times. Those in the water should pop up every now and then to be aware of where they are and give surface support a big OK.

 

[Foo]

I am anticipating a big crowd and could get lost.

Thanks for the information.


Shawn O'Shea
cell: 512-968-8278

Shawn, my experience with Trashfest registration really wasn't bad at all. You're in an open-air area of the fairgrounds, under partial cover, with lots of picnic tables at which to sit and fill out any paperwork, etc. There's plenty of parking, also. Everyone kinda funnels into a central area, but groups arrive at various times, not everyone at once. Also, the nature of the event is such that your group is in it's own section of the river, so you really are not bumping shoulders with anyone there either. Roger & Co. do a great job of coordinating registration (volunteer) personnel, so getting with your group is really fairly painless once you find the fairgrounds. TIP: bring $ to registration in case you want to get a t-shirt. Some sizes start running out, so getting yours early is a good idea.

The building for the nighttime bbq is spacious enough for everyone to sit and eat comfortably, also. Chances are you won't see too many people you know until then, except for your immediate team. Hope to run into you at registration though!!

 

[ReefHound]

TIP: bring $ to registration in case you want to get a t-shirt. Some sizes start running out, so getting yours early is a good idea.

Speaking of t-shirts, I have mine and I can say it is the nicest looking Trashfest t-shirt I've seen to date. This is one you'll be proud to wear a lot.

 

[scubabum2]

I had one thing to share regarding parking. Make sure that when you're parking on the city streets around the Comal that you pay attention to the signs regarding where you can park and how long and park in the direction of the lane of traffic you're in. The city gets a multitiude of Schlitterbahn visitors and tubers so they enforce their traffic laws around the Comal to a tee.

On a cleanup last year, I moved my truck to accomodate a homeowner's mailbox around Last Exit and parked on the opposite side of the street, facing traffic, so that we could load up easier. It was a $75 goof that I won't do again. They even ticketed a city worker who was in charge of getting the trash out of the canoes they set up on the river.

 

[Foo]

I had one thing to share regarding parking. Make sure that when you're parking on the city streets around the Comal that you pay attention to the signs regarding where you can park and how long and park in the direction of the lane of traffic you're in.

Yah, I didn't get a ticket, but saw LOTS of 'em being given out, especially for those who parked illegally at Prince Solms park. We walked a pretty good clip from our cleanup site last year, but it wasn't outrageous.

It is with heavy heart and sinuses that I now must confess that our life has taken a turn that will prevent us from attending Trashfest this year. I was so looking forward to seeing all my friends (oh yeah, and dive too...) It is with regrets that I am "fooing" you this time. Please forgive and know that if we could be there, we most certainly would. Good luck to all the teams, yall kick some trash butt!

 

[Voodoo Reef]

So, is it generally a pretty decent walk from where one would park, to the water entry point?
I know this can vary depending on parking spot and the location your assigned to, but in general, is it usually a far walk with gear?

 

[ReefHound]

How far is far? The walk from the parking lot at Windy Point to the lake would exceed anything at TF. You shouldn't have to walk more than a hundred yards. Some places you can almost park at water edge. In the past, many of the businesses and condos have given us permission to use their lots which are normally off limits, to make the river sections more accessible. This event has been held for 36 years and attended by many women and children. To my knowledge, no one has ever died from the walk.

 

[Voodoo Reef]

Cool. That answers my question.
Thanks