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Trip Report 2/3/07-2/10/-7 - part 4 Maho and the NoSeeUms
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martini girl
- Posts: 329
- Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2006 4:29 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
Trip Report 2/3/07-2/10/-7 - part 4 Maho and the NoSeeUms
Today is "hairbraiding" day for the girls. We had gone into town on Monday morning intending to see Philomen but she was not there. After calling her on her cell, we arranged to meet her Tues. a.m. (by the way, she is located right next to Margarita Phils.) We parked in Courtesy's lot. I will mention that Courtesy's lot was available for us to park anytime during the day, however, the evening parking was different. If we did not get there before six pm, we were unable to park in their lot, as it was all blocked off with tables and chairs by the Front Yard bar, which was situated in the rear of Courtesy's parking area. This was a bummer for us. Several times we found parking near the National Park dock area, once we had to pay at Slimman's or Slammans (can't exactly remember their name).
Anyway, the hairbrading process for 5 girls takes almost 4 hours!! Philomen and her helper were great. The dads were occupying themselves with the 2/$3 beers (Presidente) at the shack down the road...had slot machines in it as we recall! It's kind of cloudy and overcast that morning, so after hairbraiding and picking up sandwiches from the Grotto Deli, the girls want to go Annaberg to see the ruins and then try to find Maho again.
We get to the parking lot at Annaberg, the girls and dads are off on the trail. The moms stay back with the napping 3-yr old for some much-needed quiet time.
They enjoyed Annaberg, took lots of pictures, and off to Maho. We've now determined that we indeed did pass Maho the day before (w/ the dilapidated blue building), make our way back, find parking in between the trees, and grab a spot on the beach. I must mention that it had poured on our way to Annaberg, and poured just as we got to our spot on the beach. We sought shelter under the seagrape trees/bushes during the downpour. The girls are swimming and we are planning on giving it ten more minutes before we call it quits. The rain stops, the sky turns blue and the sun comes out, as well as the rum punch! And the noseeums!
I didn't pay much attention as I continued to swat away the bugs and drink the punch, but by the time we reached the villa, I seemed to have "a few" bites.
Maho was fun for the girls, we enjoyed the scenery.
On the way back from Maho, we stopped to check out the ruins across from the entrance to Cinnamon. My husband and older daughter went to check out the ruins as my younger daughter and I spot two donkeys hanging around the entrance to Cinnamon. We walk down to check them out, it's a mom and baby donkey, my youngest is thrilled! They're so laid back. Took some pix and off to the villa.
We had reservations that night for the Lime Inn. What a neat place! The food was awesome. My husband had the french onion soup (teriffic), NY strip w/ blackened shrimp (he loved it). Other dad had blackened shrimp for appetizer and the Caribbean lobster, loved that. Other mom had the filet mignon w/brie. I only had a ceasar salad (not real hungry) but tasted the filet, it was great. Kids all had cheeseburgers/pasta and smoothies. Would highly recommend the Lime Inn. Nice atmosphere, good service, excellent food. No complaints here!
Now let's talk about the bug bites. By the end of the evening, I notice I am covered. We all sprayed ouselves w/ Off Deep Woods w/ deet, but no one else seems to have any bites but me. My daughter counts over 80 just on my left leg alone. 60+ on my arms, and tons more on my back. The bites are lined up like soldiers along the lines of my bathing suit. I am thinking I am in deep trouble as I begin to itch. I am up numerous times during the night with insane itching. Those darn bugs must have had a royal feast on me at Maho. I'm assuming it was the rain that brought them out, and the fact that we took shelter under the seagrapes didn't help either. We got to Maho after 2 pm and left around 5. This is not fun.
Tomorrow is our scheduled day for our boat trip on "Born to Rhumb." I am hoping the day will be "bug free" for the sake of my skin and sanity!
Anyway, the hairbrading process for 5 girls takes almost 4 hours!! Philomen and her helper were great. The dads were occupying themselves with the 2/$3 beers (Presidente) at the shack down the road...had slot machines in it as we recall! It's kind of cloudy and overcast that morning, so after hairbraiding and picking up sandwiches from the Grotto Deli, the girls want to go Annaberg to see the ruins and then try to find Maho again.
We get to the parking lot at Annaberg, the girls and dads are off on the trail. The moms stay back with the napping 3-yr old for some much-needed quiet time.
They enjoyed Annaberg, took lots of pictures, and off to Maho. We've now determined that we indeed did pass Maho the day before (w/ the dilapidated blue building), make our way back, find parking in between the trees, and grab a spot on the beach. I must mention that it had poured on our way to Annaberg, and poured just as we got to our spot on the beach. We sought shelter under the seagrape trees/bushes during the downpour. The girls are swimming and we are planning on giving it ten more minutes before we call it quits. The rain stops, the sky turns blue and the sun comes out, as well as the rum punch! And the noseeums!
I didn't pay much attention as I continued to swat away the bugs and drink the punch, but by the time we reached the villa, I seemed to have "a few" bites.
Maho was fun for the girls, we enjoyed the scenery.
On the way back from Maho, we stopped to check out the ruins across from the entrance to Cinnamon. My husband and older daughter went to check out the ruins as my younger daughter and I spot two donkeys hanging around the entrance to Cinnamon. We walk down to check them out, it's a mom and baby donkey, my youngest is thrilled! They're so laid back. Took some pix and off to the villa.
We had reservations that night for the Lime Inn. What a neat place! The food was awesome. My husband had the french onion soup (teriffic), NY strip w/ blackened shrimp (he loved it). Other dad had blackened shrimp for appetizer and the Caribbean lobster, loved that. Other mom had the filet mignon w/brie. I only had a ceasar salad (not real hungry) but tasted the filet, it was great. Kids all had cheeseburgers/pasta and smoothies. Would highly recommend the Lime Inn. Nice atmosphere, good service, excellent food. No complaints here!
Now let's talk about the bug bites. By the end of the evening, I notice I am covered. We all sprayed ouselves w/ Off Deep Woods w/ deet, but no one else seems to have any bites but me. My daughter counts over 80 just on my left leg alone. 60+ on my arms, and tons more on my back. The bites are lined up like soldiers along the lines of my bathing suit. I am thinking I am in deep trouble as I begin to itch. I am up numerous times during the night with insane itching. Those darn bugs must have had a royal feast on me at Maho. I'm assuming it was the rain that brought them out, and the fact that we took shelter under the seagrapes didn't help either. We got to Maho after 2 pm and left around 5. This is not fun.
Tomorrow is our scheduled day for our boat trip on "Born to Rhumb." I am hoping the day will be "bug free" for the sake of my skin and sanity!
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Bob & Anita
- Posts: 611
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:20 pm
- Location: Charlotte, NC
The no-see-um can certainly be bad after a rain. We had gotten attacked by the red ants last year at Maho. We park on the side of the road, next to the beach, and a red ant colony! We didn't notice until they were swarming on our legs and biting us - oh man can those bad boys really get after you! We couldn't jump into the water fast enough.
The red ant colonies seem be under the sea grape trees, so watch out for them.
The red ant colonies seem be under the sea grape trees, so watch out for them.
Bob & Anita
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Teresa_Rae
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:44 pm
- Location: Downstate IL
noseeums at maho
Ya know...I have the worst time with mosquitos here at home even with the Off on. But, I find if I put Off on there the noseeums dont seem to bother me too much. I do apply it as regular as sunscreen once the sun starts going down. Have you tried the Off sunscreen? There is also one...I think Bull Frog that is H2O proof and has deet in it.
The bugs at Maho are insane. On our last trip, I'd warned the crew of them (we were there near sunset). We came out of the water and sprinted into then Jeep...soaking wet and high-tailed it out of there. Our group is "lucky". The bugs all seem to flock to one of our group and pretty much leave the other 3 alone. He gets devoured and we all laugh. We're nice like that.
