RE: [Paddlewise] bug repellents

Where I live (North-West Scottish Highlands) the deaded Highland midge is
the scourge of the land.  The only repellent I have ever found to help is,
in fact, not a repellent at all. It is a product made by Avon (the cosmetics
firm not the inflatable rafts!) called "skin so soft". I was introduced to
it by a friend who was police sergeant based in Kyle / Plockton. We used it
when we went mountain biking. It's sligthly oily and makes you smell like
the waiting room in a brothel (so I've been told - I wouldn't know, honest)
but the stuff really does make a difference. What seems to happen is that
the midges land on you, try to bite but the "skin so soft" seems to kill
them - maybe it clogs them up, or maybe the perfume does for them. We would
return absolutely palstered with dead midges, but without a single bite. I
don't know whether it would work against mosquitoes or blackfly, but it's
worth a try - hell, ANYTHING is worth a try against those little devils.

Nick

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net
[mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net]On Behalf Of Patrick Maun
Sent: 09 April 2001 22:48
To: PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] bug repellents


I have a friend who had a serious reaction to DEET and ended up in
the hospital. I try to avoid it and use the citronella based
repellents. I also have a great bug shirt from The Original Bugshirt
Company. These are comfortable and really work. I really hate getting
off the water, cleaning up and then smearing on some awful bug goop.

Bugs have never bothered me on the water.

Another tip is to pack along a pair of cotton garden gloves. Keeps
those mosquitos off your hands when cooking or sitting around.

-Patrick
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