CHUM Claims the Comal Trip Report - 2010

Siren

Tiger Shark
First Name
Amanda
WHAT A FUN WEEKEND, Y'ALL!!! :D Our gallery of pictures is here!

I want to thank all of the CHUMmers who came out to the 6th Annual CHUM Claims the Comal trip to dive, float, camp, and roast marshmallows together: 24%, marshmelo7, Smoochy, Dr. Cheap, Cold_H20, Sushi Boy, Reefhound and his family, justin-branam, Snarfal and his family, spring_diver and his girlfriend and dog, K-Jenn Diver and Ms K-Jenn Diver, our hotel CHUMmers Shadow Diver and Heidi Ho, and our drop-in floater, GWNDWN.

We created a lot of memories this weekend, a few new traditions that will have to be repeated annually, fostered new friendships, ate lots and laughed even more, drank a few beers, and made many s'mores. Good diving, better tubing, the best company anyone could ask for. :)

The chairs were all set in a circle around the fire that was roaring Friday night by the time the last CHUMmer pulled up to their campsite. The trains were in full force as we all tried to sleep with anticipation of Saturday morning's dive.

The sun flirted with us playing peek-a-boo most of the day. Morning dive beginning at 10:50am was nice - a little rough on the visibility for those who were not first down the river. We did get a nice group shot of all of us geared up in the water, though. Crawfish were a plenty! Ask 24% what he pulled out of his BC pocket!! :eek: And then ask about how it got there?!? :p AHEM!! About an hour and 50 minute dive, depending on who you ask (Sushi Boy!). ;) Congratulations to Snarfal for getting wet for the first time after his open water certification!!

We enjoyed a nice leisurely lunch before everyone hopped into tubes for our afternoon float. WE HAVE A NEW CHUM TRADITION -- the CHUMipede!! We all linked feet under arm-pits and went through the tube shoots like a train! The first tube shoot we were 15 CHUMmers long with 2 beer tubes! The 3rd tube shoot we were 24 long with 3 beer tubes!! VERY IMPRESSIVE! We only had one break in the train both times, and both due to lack of grip on a beer tube. The 3rd tube shoot, we thought we had pulled it off, and then a little loan tube went down the shoot on its own -- with two coolers of beer/grapes (?!?). It was retrieved by a random nice young man, who may or may not have been of age, and may or may not have been rewarded with an alcoholic beverage, maybe, perhaps. Good story. :happyeyepatch2:

Saturday night was once again spent around a roaring campfire, with lots of food on the grill and numerous marshmallows on roasting sticks, and a pizza delivery for Sushi Boy.

Sunday morning we all woke a little earlier than we wanted to with the sound of rain tapping on our tents. It was just a little drizzle, but enough to discourage most people from suiting up for a morning dive. Thanks to Snarfal and his family for providing yummy homemade breakfast tacos for breakfast. Three of us dive-hards (haha...get it?) geared up and made a beautiful and relaxing morning dive: me, 24%, and Snarfal. The visibility was near perfect. There were thousands of crawfish, sooo many perch and bass, a HUGE catfish, lots of little turtles, 2 big turtles, 1 LARGE turtle, and a GINORMOUS GARGANTUAN plecostomus!!! :eek: You know a dive is good for a CHUMmer when they come back with more money, more beer, and more dive gear than when they started - we found money, an un-opened beer bottle, and a TUSA mask. Oh, and an unidentified skull. :eek:

By the time we made it back to Landa RV Park, most of the group was already en-route back to Houston. The few that stuck around witnessed blue dive booties, and pink bare feet, thanks to an ongoing practical joke battle between justin-branam and 24%. Those of us left stopped off at Clear Springs for some down-home fried food, starting our trek back with full and content bellies. :eek:

I'm pretty sure everyone left with smiles, used dive gear and a little sun on their faces. Thank you, CHUM, for a tremendously successful camping trip. I almost want to start the countdown to the 7th Annual trip in 2011. Who's in? :D
 

Sushi Boy

Shananigator
DAM CHUMmer
First Name
Roger
Great trip report & a great trip! :cool: I could've done without the stowaway I brought home with me though. It was a spider about the size of a cockroach that popped out when I rinsed my gear :eek:
 

Cold_H2O

Nurse Shark
First Name
Colleen
Another fabulous trip. I have posted a few pics on Facebook.
Will post pics here ASAP.
Have a few shots of the CHUMipede.

Hats off to Siren for organizing another fabulous Comal trip.
 

Snarfal

Nurse Shark
First Name
Dan
It was an awesome trip for me and the family. Overall, the weather wasn't too bad and the water was nice once we acclimated. On the first day's dive, the vis made it hard to keep together and I found myself bouncing around a bit. I also thought it was funny that we came up right in the middle of an Open Water class near Tube Shoot 1. Imagine that confusion for them! After skipping the shoot and getting back in the water, I was able to hook back up with the group and even though vis got a bit worse, it was still fun looking over the bottom for all sorts of interesting thing. I ended up grabbing an ol-fashion Dr. Pepper bottle to keep as a souvenir for my first post cert dive ;P

I was really looking forward to day 2's dive, but got a little worried when the heavy mist/drizzle seemed to be a no-go for a number of people. Thanks again Siren and 24% for jumping in with a yes! This dive was SO much better. Vis was great at the beginning and there were TONS of life underwater. Siren and I started inventing signals for crawfish and turtles lol! It was much easier to stay near Siren and 24% on this dive and I felt myself getting a better handle on my buoyancy underwater while floating with the current. I still cant get over all the fish, turtles and crawfish we saw. And for crying out loud...we found a skull underwater! (looked like a large turtle?)

This was a very fun dive filled with lots of laughter and fun and I look forward to getting back out with others again. I'll post my pics to the Gallery shortly.

Oh, and Sushi Boy...perhaps he just wanted another slice of pizza! :)

*edit*
I tried to upload pictures, but not sure it worked out. Will try again shortly if they do not show up...
 
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Cold_H2O

Nurse Shark
First Name
Colleen
Do we have a Comal Trip gallery????
Best way for everyone to post pics.
I know I have a few, Siren has more.. Snarfal has some..
 

Snarfal

Nurse Shark
First Name
Dan
Thats where I posted mine earlier. I believe Siren made it, but didn't put any of hers in it yet ;P
 

ReefHound

The Last Poobah
DAM CHUMmer
First Name
Todd
Great weekend

I had a great time this weekend even though I never did dive. Yes, I am ashamed. But this is one of the few dive outings where I can bring my family along and include them so I decided to spend my time with them topside (and tubing) and I'll make up for it on the other dive outings.

Aside from two motel divas, I think we were all in small tents. None blew into the river. True campers, we were.

I arrived late and made *someone* move their tent that was put up in my spot, the spot I booked early because I wanted it so much, the spot 50 feet further from the #$%^& train than I was the last few years. The spot with a patch of grass to lay the tent over. The spot next to the communal campfire. After years of sleeping under the train trestle on gravel on the outer fringe of the group, this was better than any motel. Should I ever have to live in my van down by the river, look for me in 506.
 

Cold_H2O

Nurse Shark
First Name
Colleen
Don't know what else to add...
Toasted marshmallows on Sunday morning is a great breakfast.

Will get busy on posting pics in the gallery. (noticed we had one after I posted asking if it existed... )
 

24%

Tiger Shark
First Name
Douglas
What a great weekend!!!

I think I enjoy this trip more and more every year. What a great time hanging out around a camp fire with great friends both new and old. Add a few adult beverages, lots of food and throw in two 2 hour dives, it just doesn't get much better than that. The dives this year were perhaps the best I've done in the Comal river. I easily saw more crawfish on each of these dives then all 20+ previous dives I've done in the river. There were literally crawfish stacked up on top of each other. :eek: Also as mentioned above when you end your dive with an extra mask, a new un-opened beer and more money than you started with that's another bonus. And if diving wasn't enough, there was the tubing. What a great relaxing time drifting down the river, drinking a few beers and chatting with everyone.

Thanks to everyone who joined us. I'm already looking forward to next year.

The official gallery for the 6th Annual CHUM Claims the Comal is here
 
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Siren

Tiger Shark
First Name
Amanda
I have super fun pictures to post, but I have been getting server errors all day when I try to upload them. I'll keep trying....
 

Snarfal

Nurse Shark
First Name
Dan
I have super fun pictures to post, but I have been getting server errors all day when I try to upload them. I'll keep trying....


I was getting issues whenever I tried to upload a full list. Try uploading 3-4 at a time and see if that works...
 

Sushi Boy

Shananigator
DAM CHUMmer
First Name
Roger
I arrived late and made *someone* move their tent that was put up in my spot, the spot I booked early because I wanted it so much

Apparently it's a CHUM Claims the Comal tradition to shanghai the president's campsite... :p
 

Cold_H2O

Nurse Shark
First Name
Colleen
I have super fun pictures to post, but I have been getting server errors all day when I try to upload them. I'll keep trying....

I tried posting pics last night and got errors. Will try posting a couple at a time and see if that works.

SushiBoy ~ Thanks.. good to know I am following CHUM Comal traditions. :rolleyes:
 

Heidi Ho

CHUM Fan
First Name
Holly
Well, I had a blast....and definitely put me down for next year. I enjoyed not diving on Saturday morning and just generally hanging out but I have to admit, the water on Sunday looked so clear that I was wishing I had brought gear. Oh well, each year I learn a lesson....my lesson from last year was to wear sandals that won't come off while I'm tubing so my lesson for this year is to bring my gear - that way I have options :rolleyes:

And yes, I think a communal campsite is a great idea....I hear that 506 is pretty sweet :p

Thanks Siren....you're a great julie and I think marshmelo7 should change her name to McGyver - if I'm ever stuck in the woods, she's the one I want to be stuck with.
 
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