Hill Country river float trip -- no gun/lesson learned

[camjr]

I will typically carry everywhere I can, but Thursday was the first time in Texas where I wasn't carrying and regretted it (I travel a lot for my job, and when flying, etc., I just get over it).

I took the family (wife and two kids) down to New Braunfels, TX for a quick two-day trip. For the two or three of you not familiar with the area, there are two absolutely beautiful rivers in the area to spend time on. The Comal River is a slow moving, cool, relaxing trip done in tubes. The Guadalupe River is quicker moving, contains some light rapids, and is crystal clear. I didn't really think through "tubing on Comal River carry" options, so just left it locked in a lock box mounted in the trunk of the car. I've made the same trip many times before, but while I was younger and not keeping up with my kids. When my kids have joined, it's been in the morning and the following has never been an issue.

While on our second tube-trip down the Comal River on Thursday, the obnoxious drunk factor began rising exponentially as the afternoon progressed, and I began to try to keep us in areas to minimize my kids exposure to the river drunks (my daughter is 12 and my sone 14). I remained in Condition Yellow the entire trip, but things happened in a hurry. Very quickly and despite my best intentions, my family found itself stuck on a very slow moving river between two previously quiet and docile groups that ended up being aggressive drunks that began arguing, threatening each other, screaming obscenities at each other, etc. We tried to arm-paddle out of it, but the groups were pretty large. I grabbed my daughter's tube with my foot and paddled as hard as I could to get out of the situation, and was very proud to see my son (not a large kid, but very strong and athletic club soccer player) do the same to his mother's tube. We eventually got out of the way and my kids were witness to a full out drunken fight on one of the decks of the beautiful homes that line the river. The bottom line is I felt very exposed, unable to move, and without cover of any sort. I found myself thinking about how to carry the rest of the float down the river.

We rafted the Guadalupe on Friday, and didn't have to deal with the same type issues since we started relatively early in the morning. However, the 642 was in a Nemesis holster in the cargo pocket of my swim trunks inside a ziplock storage bag. While access would certainly be slower in the waterproof bag, it was certainly comforting.

I guess the bottom line is I've learned a valuable lesson.

Cheers!

[ExMarlboroMan]

Maybe you could pick up one of these before your next float trip.

http://www.waterproof-paper.com/cases/w ... pack.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Glad it all worked out for you safely.

[E.Marquez]

You just need to get a water pistol.

My water pistol

Carried in a Kydex holster.
It'll shoot wet or dry, if cleaned and dried after each days use there are no issues with getting it wet.

Takes me only a few minutes to clean it and dry with a towel, wipe down and oil.. Then in a bag over night it goes with desiccant. Ready to go for the next days water rides.

[cheezit]

and this is why they make tupperware guns.

[Excaliber]

and this is why they make tupperware guns.

A Glock is the perfect water sports gun, and was my choice for years of canoeing and kayaking. If it gets wet in fresh water, field strip it, blow water out of the obvious spots, and put it out in the sun for about 30 minutes. If it was in salt water, run lots of fresh water over and through the field stripped parts and proceed as above. Run an oiled patch over the metal parts, and you're good to go again. They're hard to beat for this purpose.

[camjr]

yeah, I think the XD goes with me the next time.

[Oldgringo]

Alas, It doesn't take long, or many, to befoul a beautiful stream. I've witnessed some real ugliness tubing down the Guadalupe.

[propellerhead]

I guess the bottom line is I've learned a valuable lesson.

Yes, don't go there when college kids are out of school. Simple enough.

[Fangs]

I had the same issue last summer: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=25511&p=289505

I also now carry my 642 in a waterproof bag.

Glad you and your family made it through ok.

Most drunks I've run into on the Comal were pretty friendly, but it only takes one idiot in each group to ruin it for everyone.

[camjr]

I guess the bottom line is I've learned a valuable lesson.

Yes, don't go there when college kids are out of school. Simple enough.

I'm pretty experienced with the college crowd. I find that while they may often drink way too much, they are usually just looking to have fun and are generally respectful. The groups I referenced in my original post exhibited nothing that led me to believe they've even sniffed the halls of higher education...

[InfoTechCHL2007]

Thanks for sharing the experience, and I'm glad everything turned out OK. I will definitely make sure I carry while on the river.

[Excaliber]

We're seeing an increasing number of accounts where folks who don't carry 24/7 are gaining experience with how hard it is to guess right about when they need to and when they don't.

I'm no good at that either. That's why I prefer the simple approach.

[Abraham]

I recently returned from tubing the Frio.

In a completely waterproof Pelican box I carried my Keltec 32 with a back-up magazine.

It was comfortable to take with me and easily available if need be.

Usually we go in late October and most often there's no one else on the river. Of course, it's rather chilly in the water that time of year so we wear wet suits, booties, gloves...and enjoy tubing in this manner immensely.

This year, it was not possible to go in October and the August crowds on the river were huge with many packing vast coolers brimming with cans of beer.

As I was the lone male with four women, I thought it prudent to carry.

As it turned out everyone on the river, drunk or sober, behaved quite well and so things turned out fine, but having some protection with us made all feel more comfortable.

While I knew there would be more people on the river this time of year, I had no clue just how very many would be - so I learned my lesson. Go when the water is COLD and avoid the crowds or don't go...

[RPB]

and this is why they make tupperware guns.

A Glock is the perfect water sports gun, and was my choice for years of canoeing and kayaking. If it gets wet in fresh water, field strip it, blow water out of the obvious spots, and put it out in the sun for about 30 minutes. If it was in salt water, run lots of fresh water over and through the field stripped parts and proceed as above. Run an oiled patch over the metal parts, and you're good to go again. They're hard to beat for this purpose.

Kayaking; That's why my Glocks have Marine Spring cups or "Maritime Spring Cups" ($10.00 well spent) which don't allow water to slow the firing pin, in case pistol is dropped in the water and later needed.
http://www.lonewolfdist.com/Products.aspx?CAT=186" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[fickman]

I'll admit I would've gone the lazy route and left the gun behind. Thanks for the reminder. . . and the tips!