Oceanic Ventures and Club Aquarius are once again a sponsor of Trashfest We are sponsoring TEAM TRASH and we are looking for a few more divers to join our team of 8 divers who will join 400 other divers in scouring the Comal river looking for trash and prizes. If you have an interest in joining TEAM TRASH, please contact Ashton. As a member of TEAM TRASH, you will receive a free Oceanic Ventures t-shirt, specifically made for divers and have your admission to the event paid. Be sure to let Ashton know you want to participate since the team size is limited. The fee to join the team is free to Club Aquarius members and $8.00 for non-members. Remember, space is limited!
TrashFest is the nation’s oldest underwater cleanup campaign bringing together scuba divers to improve the quality of the Comal River in New Braunfels, Texas. The Comal River became famous when Ripley’s Believe It or Not featured it as the shortest river in the world. The 2.5-mile Comal River is one of the largest springs in Texas with 8 million gallons of water flowing through every hour. The water is pure, clear, about 73° – 85°F year round, and attracts thousands of tubers and tourists each year. After the tubing season winds down, divers from all over Texas and beyond gather to pull cans, shoes, sunglasses and other assorted trash and debris out of the river.
Since the first clean up in 1974*, more than 10,800 volunteers have removed more than:
- 205,000 pounds of trash
- 310,000 cans and bottles
- 353,400 pop-tops and bottle caps
- 7,200 sunglasses and shoes
- The above numbers include data from 1980-2010. No records available prior to 1980.
While cleaning up the Comal is the events top priority, TrashFest also:
- Raises public awareness of the aquatic environment in Texas
- Educates citizens about the sources of, and impact of, debris and litter in the aquatic environment
- Promotes recycling programs and community involvement
- Serves as a model for other river and aquatic cleanup programs around the country
- Involves young children and educates them about the importance of protecting our environment
This year, TrashFest will be held on Saturday on October 1, 2011.
Registration will be held at the Comal County Fairgrounds, and the trash weigh-in and collection will be at Prince Solms Park in New Braunfels, TX.
