OMG I Am Being Eaten Alive!

[Christerart]

Originally Posted by Coops

A quite disgusting substance which looks like concentrated pteradactyl poo and tastes like a cat's bum. Not telling you how i know the second.

PS Vegemite is a yeast extract, Marmite is a beef extract, both have the same appalling taste though.

Coops.

I agree - but my lovely wife loves the stuff - Marmite - she doesn't use too much of it though as she gets no kisses for some time after eating it..

=*^)

[boatsail]

I spent a lot of time in the bush when I was in the military. To prevent ticks mosquitoes in any other type of creepy crawly bothering you we would spray down long pants and long shirts prior to wear them that way you don't have to have a chemical sprayed directly onto your skin get you still get protection sure some of it will get on to your body when you sweat but much less than if you spray directly onto your skin.

[JanetGroene]

Has anyone tried putting Listerine (the yellow one) in a spray bottle and using it as one would use YardGard? I haven't tried it but some neighbors swear by it. There are generic brands that smell the same but are cheaper.

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Try Zyrtec (Walgreens Wal-Zyr) instead of Benedryl - not sleep inducing. I found it works better for bites & hives including bees and hornets.

Many years ago my Florida fishing guide showed us his 'secret'. Dab a bit of baby oil on exposed skin and the no-seeums don't bite. Long cotton everything is a must as well.

I'm using the Benedryl Gel a topical solution -- no sleep inducing side effects. Works great to knock down the itching. If you can get it on soon after the bite you never get an itchy bump. If the bump is already there it takes the itch away for a period of time and then has to be re-applied.

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by scubascooter

I dont seem to attract mozzies, maybe it due to vegemite on my toast each morning! (Yes, people do eat it).

I think The US has banned vegemite due to the high salt content. I will have to limit my sailing to the Sth pacific. Damn!

Scott

Lucky guy! I'm not a picky eater, but I don't really think I am going to be able to do the vegemite thing -- even if I could get it here in PR. I have now realized the bigger problem in the boatyard is not the mosquitos (mostly out at night) but something else, very small, black, flying things (out during the heat of the day). Someone here had a name for them and said they do not bite they discharge an acid on the skin but the conversation got interrupted and I never heard what the bug got out of it after the acid part.

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Better yet, add ~ 25% DEET to the baby oil. The baby oil is effective on its own, serves to slow the evaporation of the DEET (DEET loves to stay in the oil, as compared to spray-on products that evaporate quickly), and makes it easy to get full coverage (many products don't spread so well).

We formulate our own and find this combination to be very long-lasting. Get an unscented baby oil.

I think this is why the Jungle Juice we have used in the past has worked so well, it was in an oil base. It was also 100% DEET! But it did protect you all night long. Snuggling up to your partner covered in it wasn't appealing though

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by Coops

I did once hear of vegemite being called "skidmarks in a jar"

Coops.

Ugh ... you've convinced me!

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Ahhhh, another Billy Connolly fan .

Your skid mark comment reminds me of Billy Connolly's story about dropping Vegemite smeared toast on the bed sheet in a hotel room during one of his Aussie tours. He went on to describe the hotel maid's reaction. Funny stuff .

I have very sadly run out on board and am in the throws of severe withdrawal symptoms and all this talk isn't helping .
Like an addict though, I just can't stop myself checking on updates on the Vegemite discussion here. What I wouldn't do for a piece of toast thickly smeared with it at the moment .

I'm sorry you are suffering Your post has put to the fore front of my provisioning list lots and lots of peanut butter! Someone once told me it was the American version of vegemite -- not really sure if that is true though.

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by Capn Morgan

Some years back I picked up a few candles in Cape Union Mart, a South African outdoor shop. I can't check them out right now as they are several thousand miles away on the boat and can't find them on their website. They burn for a long time and they seem to keep mossies away. Will try and report when I get back. They also have a spray they call All Terrain Armour, which they say is a herbal only product. I have it for my guests and it seems to work.

I'm sure they even taste better than Vegemite....

I will see what I can find on the All Terrain Armour, thanks!

Robyn

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by savoir

Time to exercise caution SmartMove. There are many hereabouts who are tastebud challenged. It seems that Coops might be one of them.

Tread warily.

I might be too! But when (I'm not going to say if because I am an optimist) we get to Oz, I promise I will try it -- at least once. You never know ...

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

If you have it up here we can go by and pick it up. Just tell us which REI. We can probably get you some Vegemite too
BTW- sometimes when working on the ranch the mosquitoes got so thick you could hear them indoors (buzzing outside) We just covered everything but our face, and put diluted Deet on our hats. Hot but no bites... Would work for the short term.

Thanks Newt! But when I figured out what the name was I found it here in PR. I think I will pass on the vegemite! Long pant and long sleeves have been the solution for working in the boatyard, thankfully we probably only have another week of that.

Great to meet another from Utah! Stay warm! I heard there were massive amounts of early season snow. My son-in-law said he shoveled three feet of snow at our house (Millcreek).

Robyn

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by MitchM

we have had great luck with the Thermacell lantern installed in the (totally screened) cockpit. for walking around near dusk or dawn, try the Thermacell 'holster' which is a belt clip attachment that holds the thermacell. it creates an 8 x 8 x 8 ft 'cube' of protection around the wearer, and i won't go out in blackfly or mosquito season without my holster. i learned about both products from dog training friends who operate in s carolina marshlands.. we own 2 thermacell lanterns 1 for the rv 1 for the boat , get the kind that has an aa battery which provides a nice little 'night light ' for the cockpit. ligthing the thermacell outside on the cockpit table allows us to sit outside every evening until 10 o clock at night with NO biting bug bites... we ordered out thermacells from amazon at quite a savings over local stores 933 % less..) and order the thermacell butane cells and antiinsect pads.. we get about 12 hours (3 nights) out of 1 pad...

fair winds, no bites to you !

Thanks Mitch, I think we are going to look into these. We do not usually have a problem on the boat, just on land and the occasional DEET works. But for the times we have to anchor close in this seems like a good solution.

Robyn

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by Christerart

I agree - but my lovely wife loves the stuff - Marmite - she doesn't use too much of it though as she gets no kisses for some time after eating it..

=*^)

Enough said! I like my kisses!

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by boatsail

I spent a lot of time in the bush when I was in the military. To prevent ticks mosquitoes in any other type of creepy crawly bothering you we would spray down long pants and long shirts prior to wear them that way you don't have to have a chemical sprayed directly onto your skin get you still get protection sure some of it will get on to your body when you sweat but much less than if you spray directly onto your skin.

Good advise. Also a good excuse to go shopping! Funny thing when I planned my wardrobe for this part of my life, all I remembered were the sunny days and warm nights -- shorts, tank tops and swimsuits! Completely forgot about the bugs!

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by JanetGroene

Has anyone tried putting Listerine (the yellow one) in a spray bottle and using it as one would use YardGard? I haven't tried it but some neighbors swear by it. There are generic brands that smell the same but are cheaper.

Where would you use YardGard -- clothes or surrounding area? I'm up for trying it.