The kids (10 & 8 yrs) and I are going to Guadalupe State Park outside of San Antonio for 1 week. We will also be camping at our 1st lake with swimming next month.
This the kids 1st river experience and really, mine too, as I only tubed down in my early twenties for a day trip. The 1st time I flipped off the tube and got pretty banged up in shallow rapids as the stone were slippery, so I'm a bit anxious to have this trip be a good experience for the kids. I'm wondering if I should avoid going down in a tube altogether?
Can you tell me what to bring in addition to the standard emergency kit? Someone told me about having leeches in rivers/lakes?
I bought life jackets for the 3 of us. Is this necessary? Am I being paranoid?
I'm not a great swimmer and my kids have had lessons, but are not strong swimmers either.
Any suggestions, ideas, and/or comments are appreciated!
It is good to realize that if love and peace can prevail on earth, and if we can teach our children to honor nature's gifts, the joys and beauties of the outdoors will be here forever.
-Jimmy Carter --39th president of the United States (1977-81), b.1924
I can only relate our experience on the Guadalupe. We used a raft for three of us, 2 adults and child. There was very little water, so there were no "rapids" to float--we really had to paddle to get downstream. It was hot--use sunscreen--but the water felt good when we'd get in it. I would think using a tube would be much more fun than a raft. There will probably be many other people in the river as well. Unless the water is extremely high, I can't imagine needing a life jacket, but it has been a wet spring, so the water might be different. You could ask around when you get there, or if it makes you feel better, take the life jackets with you and have them handy. The rocks are slippery, but not enough to get hurt on I don't think. We did get some leeches, but were able to brush them off with no problem. You can tie your tubes together with rope if you are afraid you might get seperated in the water. If memory serves me correctly, there is a swimming area there at the state park where you can probably tell a little more about the movement of the water. It will probably be a fun time for you and the kids.
Steve and Layne Wilhoite
550 Ford Star Hauler
36' Elite Suites
10' Motorcycle trailer or 06 Bug
Yes get water shoes or sandals that buckle/velcro on. That will help with the slippery rocks. Let your kids wear life vests if it'll make you feel more comfortable. Take plenty of sunscreen & USE IT!!! Drink plenty of water, even if you don't feel 'thirsty'. Go and have fun!
I've gone tubing on the river once. The water was low so we had to paddle a lot. Our other trips to that area were spent camping at Canyon Lake. The lake was much more relaxing and the dd could snorkle. But you have to let your kids go tubing at least once. Tubing at Garner was much less work. It depends on the rain though.
So here is how it went...
Worked out that another family came with us,which was great and made me feel more secure to do it. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that we signed up for the longest tubing ride.(4 hrs)
When we got the tubes, found out that they don't tie tubes together anymore as one flips, they all flip. I finally convinced them to give me something to keep the kids close to me & they attached two nylon ''leashes'' for me. Thank goodness I insisted at the kids just didn't have the arm length to paddle themselves.
Sabrina fell trying to carry her tube along the path to the river and scraped her leg a bit and another family's Dad carried her tube for her. Cyrus ended up losing control of his tube on the steps and the tube went careening down the 2 flights of steps.
Of course, I had forgotten how much manuveuring you really need to do to avoid so holding on to the ''leashes'' was accomplished by looping them around my feet/water shoes which tended to slip, but the best method was holding them betweeen my teeth...yeah, I looked like a fool, but I never did lose my kids! lol Well, once when I let it a loop slip from my fingers, but the other family's Dad was right there.
I have to say that it was one of the most physical & mentally exhausting days of my motherhood. lol The kids really did well (they wore they life jackets). Sabrina (8yrs) cried a little over the 1st rapids as we got stuck on the rocks on the right, but I tugged us out fine. The scariest rapids was the one you shoot through the middle channel. Currents caught the three of us and my arms where stretched out with Sabrina on my right and Cyrus (10yrs) on my left shotting through the channel, I ended stuck on the highest part of the rocks and hydroplaned by the force of the kids' tubes. Still don't know how I stayed in my tube and kept my arms in the sockets! (did I mention that I had a cooler tube tied to my tube too?)
By the 2nd hour, I just wanted off, but was committed to finish as there was nowhere to get off.
The third rapids, I almost lost my tube, but plopped my bottom down in it while still holding the "leashes". I was pretty impressed with myself! haha
The kids kinda got bored on the slower parts of the river and of course, I was just laying there catching my breath and feeling exhausted, so I wasn't offering any entertainment. They kept asking when the next rapid's were coming up. I wanted to strangle them!
The other fanily's teen sons really helped us along the shallow areas and getting out at our stop.
Overall, we had a great adventure, but I will not be doing it again any time soon. I'll wait until they are a little bigger and able to manage their own tubes!
Thanks to all that encouraged me to do it! I owe you one!
This is where went tubing...http://www.riversportstubes.com/
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They kept asking when the next rapid's were coming up. I wanted to strangle them!
