Every summer, “river toys” abound on the river. The first ones that come to mind are the big ones; canoes, rafts, and kayaks. While these get the fun started, there are others that keep it going.
The creativity of adults wishing to have river fun is amazing. Ordinary items are repurposed into extraordinary play things. Of course, the most classic example of repurposing is the inner tube. Tractor tires seem to work best. Once a tire has finished its original life, it’s reborn as a toy. The outer portion becomes a tire swing or sandbox, but it’s the tube that becomes a river star.
When using an inner tube, there are three rules to keep in mind. First, make sure the valve stem is pointed down. I’ve never seen anyone impaled on one, but I have seen lots of lacerations from scraping waterlogged skin against it. Number two is to occasionally splash water on the tube itself. Black rubber absorbs the heat and will blister your skin if not cooled down from time to time. The last rule is to lift. Most tubists float with their bottoms in the doughnut hole, and their arms and legs extended over the sides. When reaching shallow water, it’s important to lift your bottom or experience a gravel enema, and no one wants that.
Smaller tubes are great for coolers and you’ll see many a cooler-toting tube tied to the back of a canoe.
For the truly creative and ambitious, an inner tube can be transformed into a glass-bottomed tube which works better in deeper water. Basic construction consists of lashing a thick piece of plexi-glass to the bottom of the tube. This provides a place to sit and gives the glass-bottomed viewing experience. A trolling motor is attached on a small wooden platform built to fit over the tube. The platform holds the motor and battery in place. A little padding on the inside arm of the platform makes for a good backrest. All this is topped off with an adjustable canopy or umbrella. Add a few cup holders and some bungee cords to lash on your fishing pole and it’s a redneck cruise ship! (If anyone is interested in building me one, I’ll gladly take it!)
Besides beach balls, water cannons, noodles, and inflatables, there’s also a water toy you can eat. Yes, I said eat. Watermelons float and floating a melon in a spring fed river or creek is a great way to chill it and have fun in the process. Choose one with no cuts or holes in it. The outside rind must be intact in order to float. A ripe watermelon can only take so much rough housing before it cracks so handle it gently until you know its limits. If it does crack, don’t eat it. Consuming water borne bacteria can make you sick.
On a final note, the popular beer pong drinking game has evolved into water pong with floating tables. It seems like a natural addition to a float trip so be on the lookout for those this summer.
No matter how you like to play, there’s a river toy to be found, repurposed or created that will match your style. Enjoy!
