At the last minute Beast couldn't get Friday off so I rode up to the lake with Tony. Tina (L2D2) met us along the way and followed in her itty bitty car! We arrived around 10am and started picking out our tent spots...and the fun began! By afternoon Steve (TPH), David, Mike and a few others were there. Our original plan was to get in a couple of dives before the holiday crowds arrived but it was so nice sitting in the breeze and visiting we just never got around to it! Brenda finally got there after her 6 hours trek and camp was finally in order....she had EVERYTHING we needed!
Friday night Steve provided us with fresh Gulf shrimp, Redfish and Flounder. We could tell no one was going to go hungry on this trip!
Saturday morning found Swamp Team members showing up in droves and pitching their tents. Dive gear was spreading out and there were these strange creatures in rubber suits walking around everywhere. Our campsite was at the top of the hill which had its own stairway entry. Problem was it was almost straight up! Most everyone agreed it was the trip from hell getting back up those stairs in full gear. I'd like to thank the men on this trip who helped us ladies get our gear down and back...we couldn't have done it without you guys!
It was kind of hard at times to know just who was there because I can't remember all of us in one spot at one time except for maybe supper at night. One group would be headed for the water, another just getting out and yet another starting to gear up. Several could only make it for Saturday so that was our most attended day. I'll try to list everyone later. Apologies if I leave someone out!
We had plans for steaks on the grill Satuday night and David brought several pounds of fresh fish. So we had the Texas version of Surf and Turf....Sirloins, baked potatoes and fried Bass/Perch.
Tony brought a load of firewood up with him and he kept the required campfire going all weekend. Anytime after dark you could find Swampers around the flames roasting marshmellows...from a distance in the Texas heat! Another activity provided by Brother Tony was Washer Pitchin'. I never had a chance to try it but there were rumors flying as to how his team managed to win every time.
Mike's tec Instructor was there all day conducting a class. His son, sorry I didn't catch his name, handled a set of doubles just like the 'big guys'. He's already a heck of a diver...it's nice to see good kids starting out. And speaking of good kids, Carolyn was a pure joy to have in camp. A great little diver already and always right in the middle of things helping out....Thanks!
Saturday night also brought the thunderstorm that the weather folks had originally said wasn't a threat. Snug in our nylon huts, the winds began to blow. We learned that tents are VERY flexible in the wind! Just about the time you think it has collapsed, it would pop back into igloo shape and shudder. Really cool! Then the rain hit. A few tents got a little water seepage but all-in-all we came through unscathed. Some of us slept like babies, some not at all so Sunday morning found a long line at the coffee pot!
I hate to say Sunday was just another day in camp but it's true. Divers going in, divers coming out and in between we ate and checked out each others gear. Darling Deidra kept us all entertained and Uncle Mike knows exactly where the playground is! Beast started us out with a good breakfast and fresh grilled hamburgers fueled the day. Tony serenaded us each night although we need to get him a book of lyrics. But Watermelon, Peas and Beans go with any tune!
Monday morning found us all s-l-o-w-l-y starting to pack up. Partly dreading the activity in the heat but mostly just hating to leave such good company.
Tina kept retrieving mens wedding rings from her tent but we've all been sworn to secrecy about the details and rest of the activities. Something about future blackmail.
I've put Tony's pictures into an album HERE. I hope I got everyone's names right. I took my housed digital camera for the first time in fresh water to try my hand and you can see a few of them HERE. Please forgive the out of focus shots....these fresh water fish are fast! And you'll notice that most of them are fish butts! But you'll get an idea of the visibility we had.
Thanks again to everyone. Let's do this again in the fall when we can appreciate Tony's fire building skills!
Attendees = 29
TexasMike
T.P.H.
ScubaTexasTony and Brenda
Beast and Dee
Tom, Michelle and Deidra Vyles
SueJ, Scott and Carolyn
LovetoDive2
DavidofAustin
AChen (aka SeaBass)
MightyDiver and MightyScuba and Instructor
Steve Fath
ScubaTexan
Coldwater
RicHead and Yuko
BubbleSlinger
Fetch and Rachel
Chip (student)
Alec Ranck and son (Instructor)
Apologies if I missed someone!
Friday night Steve provided us with fresh Gulf shrimp, Redfish and Flounder. We could tell no one was going to go hungry on this trip!
Saturday morning found Swamp Team members showing up in droves and pitching their tents. Dive gear was spreading out and there were these strange creatures in rubber suits walking around everywhere. Our campsite was at the top of the hill which had its own stairway entry. Problem was it was almost straight up! Most everyone agreed it was the trip from hell getting back up those stairs in full gear. I'd like to thank the men on this trip who helped us ladies get our gear down and back...we couldn't have done it without you guys!
It was kind of hard at times to know just who was there because I can't remember all of us in one spot at one time except for maybe supper at night. One group would be headed for the water, another just getting out and yet another starting to gear up. Several could only make it for Saturday so that was our most attended day. I'll try to list everyone later. Apologies if I leave someone out!
We had plans for steaks on the grill Satuday night and David brought several pounds of fresh fish. So we had the Texas version of Surf and Turf....Sirloins, baked potatoes and fried Bass/Perch.
Tony brought a load of firewood up with him and he kept the required campfire going all weekend. Anytime after dark you could find Swampers around the flames roasting marshmellows...from a distance in the Texas heat! Another activity provided by Brother Tony was Washer Pitchin'. I never had a chance to try it but there were rumors flying as to how his team managed to win every time.
Mike's tec Instructor was there all day conducting a class. His son, sorry I didn't catch his name, handled a set of doubles just like the 'big guys'. He's already a heck of a diver...it's nice to see good kids starting out. And speaking of good kids, Carolyn was a pure joy to have in camp. A great little diver already and always right in the middle of things helping out....Thanks!Saturday night also brought the thunderstorm that the weather folks had originally said wasn't a threat. Snug in our nylon huts, the winds began to blow. We learned that tents are VERY flexible in the wind! Just about the time you think it has collapsed, it would pop back into igloo shape and shudder. Really cool! Then the rain hit. A few tents got a little water seepage but all-in-all we came through unscathed. Some of us slept like babies, some not at all so Sunday morning found a long line at the coffee pot!
I hate to say Sunday was just another day in camp but it's true. Divers going in, divers coming out and in between we ate and checked out each others gear. Darling Deidra kept us all entertained and Uncle Mike knows exactly where the playground is! Beast started us out with a good breakfast and fresh grilled hamburgers fueled the day. Tony serenaded us each night although we need to get him a book of lyrics. But Watermelon, Peas and Beans go with any tune!
Monday morning found us all s-l-o-w-l-y starting to pack up. Partly dreading the activity in the heat but mostly just hating to leave such good company.
Tina kept retrieving mens wedding rings from her tent but we've all been sworn to secrecy about the details and rest of the activities. Something about future blackmail.
I've put Tony's pictures into an album HERE. I hope I got everyone's names right. I took my housed digital camera for the first time in fresh water to try my hand and you can see a few of them HERE. Please forgive the out of focus shots....these fresh water fish are fast! And you'll notice that most of them are fish butts! But you'll get an idea of the visibility we had.
Thanks again to everyone. Let's do this again in the fall when we can appreciate Tony's fire building skills!
Attendees = 29
TexasMike
T.P.H.
ScubaTexasTony and Brenda
Beast and Dee
Tom, Michelle and Deidra Vyles
SueJ, Scott and Carolyn
LovetoDive2
DavidofAustin
AChen (aka SeaBass)
MightyDiver and MightyScuba and Instructor
Steve Fath
ScubaTexan
Coldwater
RicHead and Yuko
BubbleSlinger
Fetch and Rachel
Chip (student)
Alec Ranck and son (Instructor)
Apologies if I missed someone!
