Sooo ... How Buggy are the Bahamas ?

[Christian Van H]

Hey All! We are getting ready to cross to the Bahamas shortly, and although we have port screens, we have no protection for our hatches. We will be anchored / moored often... How buggy are the Bahamas? Thanks, Chris

[Amapola]

Gnats, mosquitoes, and no-see-ums are worse in the out islands than in the more developed communities. They can be awful at night especially with no wind. We have screens all around and the buggers still manage to get in sometimes. We most always anchor out.

[Tingum]

Won't be buggy till the rainy season starts. Come on over!

[mrohr]

Lotsa moquitoes in many islands after sunset.Those coral cavities hold water that breeds em. Just get back to the boat if you find this to be the case and you probaly not even need your screens.

[Katiusha]

We found mostly no-see-'ums, with some mosquitos and flies.

Islands we've been to:
* West End, Grand Bahama - VERY
* New Providence - some
* Andros - THE MOST, day and night [our worst memories in terms of no-see-'ums and best in terms of adventures]
* Exumas - very little (only on leeward beaches and in the evening- somewhat annoying during beach fires only)
* Crooked Island - some away from land, more closer to land

We have screens on our hatches and got a mosquito net for our companion way. It worked without problems everywhere (some no-see-'ums would get in through the netting, but not bad), except on Andros. On Andros for the first 2 days I was walking around everywhere in complete thermal underware (pants and a top) with gloves and a hat so that there was as little skin exposed as possible . Then someone told us about Skin So Soft by Avon (sold everywhere in Bahamas) . We slathered it on ourselves and on the screens. No-see-'ums went away.

[Ram]

We just had 3 days of a lot of rain so the next few weeks the bugs will come out strong- would just move away and anchor 1/2 mile form land that this keeps us free from most of the bugs

[Christian Van H]

Thank you all for the quick and concise answers! The Cruisers Forum still rocks, and I'm proud to fly their pennant! No bugs here...

[GeoPowers]

Originally Posted by Katiusha

We found mostly no-see-'ums, with some mosquitos and flies.

Islands we've been to:
* West End, Grand Bahama - VERY
* New Providence - some
* Andros - THE MOST, day and night [our worst memories in terms of no-see-'ums and best in terms of adventures]
* Exumas - very little (only on leeward beaches and in the evening- somewhat annoying during beach fires only)
* Crooked Island - some away from land, more closer to land

We have screens on our hatches and got a mosquito net for our companion way. It worked without problems everywhere (some no-see-'ums would get in through the netting, but not bad), except on Andros. On Andros for the first 2 days I was walking around everywhere in complete thermal underware (pants and a top) with gloves and a hat so that there was as little skin exposed as possible . Then someone told us about Skin So Soft by Avon (sold everywhere in Bahamas) . We slathered it on ourselves and on the screens. No-see-'ums went away.

Skim So Soft rocks!! Highly recommended.
Frank

[GeoPowers]

Originally Posted by GeoPowers

Skim So Soft rocks!! Highly recommended.
Frank

SKIN damn iPhone!

[bobconnie]

We got dem little bugs down dee bayou in louisiann, and we use Amber Romance from Victorias Secret !! it's a wee bit French Bawdie House smellin but works Great!! an smellem Nice I garrentee!! No kidding it do work we use it all the time fising in the Marshes down here!! jut a hint from us !! Bob and Connie

[FSMike]

You can cut Skin So Soft 50-50 with water and it's still effective.

[tamicatana]

We discovered these things:


the Off clip-on fan. We hang one somewhere in the cabin, and those guys that do get in despite the netting are put off.

[CarlF]

Sorry to continue the thread drift. I don't like to frequently use repellants that contain DEET and Skin-So-Soft seems to stop working for me after 30 minutes or so. I also don't really enjoy its fragrance.

Last year I started using a Thermacell. Truly a miracle - including against no-see-ums. Ten minutes after it's turned on, there are no bugs. It's like I've turned on an anti-bug force field

The Most Effective Mosquito Repellent for Outdoor Areas | ThermaCELL

I started out putting it in the forward end of the cockpit. While the instructions say to not use indoors, I now use it in the cabin as long as hatches are open and a fan on. I now only put the screens up when I go to bed and turn the Thermacell off.

There's only the slightest smell - a little like chlorine but less strong than sitting near a pool. Nothing close to the smell of any bug repellent I've used - even skin-so-soft. And I like that I'm not rubbing chemicals into my skin.

I worry a bit about whatever it's giving off. Of course the manufacturer says its very safe . The warnings in the package are certainly less worrisome than on a lotion with DEET. Does anyone have objective information rather than hear-say about Thermacell safety?

Carl

[sck5]

i used skin so soft for the blackflies in delaware bay. worked pretty well. good to know it gets the noseeums too

[sailorboy1]

Must be some differences in black flies depending on where you are. I have Skin So Soft with deet on the boat and last year when I got attacked by flies and used it the flies LOVED it! If I sprayed on my leg it make them come. The only good thing was it seemed to dope them up some and slowed them down making it easier to kill them. I sprayed some directly on a few of the flies and it make them break out in dance!