Okay, here is something I ran across that I just have to share with you. We've have had an enormous amount of rain in Annapolis this spring, and the mosquito situation is already bad for so early in the season. Walking out to the mailbox, or going next door to feed our neighbor's fish while they are away, we return with nasty, swelling mosquito bites. While I don't care for creams and greasy lotions, I guess I will have to start using the lemon eucalyptus spray called REPEL that works for me.
However, a few months back I stumbled across a blog post of a British couple sailing the Caribbean on their French aluminum sailboat. I don't know them, nor was I following them, but came across the post while researching owner's experience with Ovni sailboats.
Their post was a summary of what they found worthwhile to have on their boat while in the tropics. One item that caught my attention was an electronic device from Germany called Bite Away. It is a small portable instrument that puts concentrated heat directly on the bite. The couple swore by its effectiveness, which I took as a real endorsement.
I found it on Amazon (of course). It was around $50, so I ordered one. It came in a couple of weeks from a pharmacy in Germany, complete with customs paperwork. And it really does the job. The product instantly reduces swelling while eliminating any pain and itch. Bite Away is said to work on all kinds of insect bites, like horseflies and bee stings, as well as mosquito bites. The manufacturer says it also works on stings from sea nettles and jellyfish.
It applies a concentrated heat of about 125 degree (50 degrees C) directly to the bite, which doesn't hurt. There are two buttons that turn it on: one for children and the other for adults. Place the tip of the Bite Away on the bite and hold down one of the buttons, depending on the victim. The kid's button turns the unit on for three seconds, while the adult button goes on for six seconds. It uses two AA batteries to power the microprocessor. The heat denatures the insect poison, and any release of histamine is prevented. (That is the explanation of how it works on the box.)
We've used it daily now for almost a week. Our mosquito bites are treated right away so we can go on with our business without a second thought. No persistent itch or swelling or scratching. Instant relief is worth $50 to me.
Just wanted to give you a heads up about this product as we start another cruising season. It came in a box but should have included a holster!
(I have no connection with this company or product, of course, although with the many things I have been talking about recently, such as chain extenders and night visions and binoculars, perhaps I should become one of those affiliate partners so when I recommend these products it is easy for readers to buy through a one-click button. I don't know how that all works, but it doesn't cost readers anything as they go right from my site to the buying website and I might eventually accumulate enough to get a small kickback, enough for an occasional glass of wine on the dock at sunset...)
Have a great week.
