USVI-On-Line

Hello all, I am going to be arriving Sat. 9-1 for 7 nights at Maho Bay Camp. I was wondering if anyone just returning or presently on STJ could tell me how
bad the mosquitos are right now. Need to know how much bug spray to bring.

DELETED

Jorge you are too funny! I remember one time I went fishing with my ex(then current)husband and we got to the dock just a little too early. We were in a swamp just before sunrise and when we stepped out of the car (no bug spray) we were covered! I looked down and my arm was black! We jumped back in the car killed as many as we could and headed for a store to get some! I have never gone fishing that early since!

Mosquitos don't usually bother me under normal conditions but it sounds a lot like that swamp experience to me!

Good luck!

Recommend using the "OFF" lantern at night. It's a simple plastic lantern with a candle and a mosquito repellant pad (refill pads and candles come in 3-packs.) The candle burns for about 4 hours and the virtually odor-free "smoke" provides up to 12 hours protection for a 15X15' area. I've used them in my bedroom for years and swear by them - excellent inexpensive product. Cheers!

STTT Resident wrote:Recommend using the "OFF" lantern at night. It's a simple plastic lantern with a candle and a mosquito repellant pad (refill pads and candles come in 3-packs.) The candle burns for about 4 hours and the virtually odor-free "smoke" provides up to 12 hours protection for a 15X15' area. I've used them in my bedroom for years and swear by them - excellent inexpensive product. Cheers!

Wow, I have never heard of this! Thanks for the tip, I will definitely get one. And I still have some of my stash of the bug patches Ruth sells for the October trip.

Pia I'm heading down on the 22nd do you want me tosee if I can find some and bring them along for you.
Tom

Tom that would be great I have seen the refils available but never the actual lantern.
The only thing that concerns me is that it maybe alittle "bulky" for you to bring (don't know exactly how big they are as I've never sen one ) and I don't want to put you out over having to pack a lantern. If you find one - actually I just thought maybe I could get one from CVS as they ship here so I'll go look now - but if you find one don't worry about schlepping it here if it is kind of bulky and you never know maybe STJ Hardware will have one tomorrow when I'm in town (fingers crossed)
Thanks Tom

Pia

I was really worried about skeeters also but they werent bad at all over the past week 8/21-8/28 although Pia confirmed what looked like lotsa rain as we were leaving yesterday 8/28 (good timing for us).

My wife did get bit up one night, but nobody else did, but that pretty much stopped after she stopped using her apple something or other shower gel.

I'm a guy, and stuff like that just confuses me (gel? how much do you use? do you squirt it on yourself or the wash cloth?) so I forgot about the advice that has been offered here about going as fragrance free as possible when in the islands.
JMQ

Pia, dear heart, don't know where they might be available on STJ and I do sometimes have a hard time finding the refills on STT although Home Depot and Plaza Xtra usually have them but not always (but that's island shopping for you which most outsiders don't understand!!!) You may well be right that I clean out the supply when I see them (the refills that is) although I don't usually get them from Home Depot because they charge about $1 more than Plaza. The lanterns themselves are even more of a shopper catch-all. Why sell the refills when you don't have the lanterns - DUH DOUBLE DUH!!

I guess the in-house store buyers figure in their misguided purchasing mentality that because they sell so many refills it therefore configures that everyone already HAS the lantern? Me no know! The lanterns are, of course, infinitely re-useable.

The boxed lantern takes up very little space and is very light while the refill pack of pads and candles likewise take up next to nothing.

On the general subject of mosquitoes, never assume that because you're pretty well immune to your homie mozzies you'll be immune to outside breeds. I took a little trip to Vieques several years ago and although my skin has become "old hat" in the Virgin Islands, those Vieques monsters wripped me up. Long gone now, there was a just beautiful photograph of my legs which was taken in the Vieques airport at the end of the visit. Looked as though I was suffering from a nasty gangrenous pox. On that note, cheers!

And good news today for those on STT. Plaza Xtra has a whole bunch of the OFF lanterns and refills in stock. Naturally not in the same place where they usually stock the refills... on one of the newer aisles near the soft drinks. Lanterns are 12.09, 3-pack refills 5.99. Picked one up for Pia, back tomorrow to get her a next one and some refills. A good excuse to see her again! Cheers!