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Diving Bonaire: Dive Gear bug repellent
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2000-12-29 to 2002-08-31: Dive Gear bug repellent
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Amy Martin on Wednesday, February 28, 2001 - 5:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I was there last year and had a huge prob with drying my dive gear/booties and clothes as well. Made a HUGE mistake by putting everything outside on the balcony for drying, and then putting stuff on again before it had dried fully. I don't know if if it was mosquitos, or some other critter that may have laid eggs in my gear, but I broke out with large patches of mosquito-like bites all around the top edge of my booties.

I'm heading out for another tropical vacation (unfortunately not to Bonaire) this summer and I'm told there are mosquito infestations everywhere in the rural areas (they can also often be indoors, so simply drying indoors may not solve the prob). Can anyone recommend a wash or other chemical that might provide repellant for dive gear (and clothing), or any advice at all?! I never want to itch like that again!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech on Wednesday, February 28, 2001 - 10:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Usually using some kind of soap or de-stink stuff will take care of anything that might cause a rash. Sometimes it's just the stagnant mold/mildew growing water that causes a rash.

Although we did have somebody else that said they had gotten a rash over most of their body from a microscopic thing in the water.

It is also possible that your gear got near some toxic plant during a shore dive. We have a number of bushes and plants that can cause allergic reactions. You would only run into them away from where people live.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Amy Martin on Thursday, March 1, 2001 - 10:11 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks, Linda!! The day it developed, I was walking along the shoreline at Klien. Maybe that's what happened, or I guess it could be the mildew also, although the rash looked suspiciously like hundreds of small to medium sized mosquito bites (placed close together, but definately individual). I had hives once years ago, but this was different.

Anyway, I will take your advice and try using Sink the Stink at the end of each day. Do you think that using a wash so frequently would cause a breakdown in the material of my gear? Also, any tips for drying gear out more quickly (especially booties...I live in mine on vacations!!)?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cecil Berry on Thursday, March 1, 2001 - 10:34 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Amy, I've had very good luck turning them inside out to dry. It takes some work to do this, but worth the effort. If you don't it takes forever to dry the inside.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Thursday, March 1, 2001 - 11:10 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Amy,

Linda neglected to mention that we also frequently use a rinse bucket/barrel into which we put a capful or two of chlorine (Clorox works fine). Don't know if this helps with the rash thing, but I can honestly say I've never had the same experience as you... :-)

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Amy Martin on Friday, March 2, 2001 - 11:59 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks all!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Corney Ann Carter on Friday, March 2, 2001 - 1:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

This is an experience my husband had 6 years ago with bug bites on Bonaire. One morning he was covered with very itchy red blotches all over his body. After a day of suffering, we went to Dr. Frans and my husband is allergic to Bonaire's type of bugs. (so is my daughter and daughter-in-law but not my son or I) He was given a perscription drug that cleared it up. We were told by a pharmacist that taking an over the counter allergy tablet containing clorpheniramine maleate should work also. I thought he would never consent to returning to Bonaire but he now takes the allergy tablets and we are returning very soon to Bonaire for our 7th visit.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hirsh on Saturday, March 3, 2001 - 12:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

CAC... glad to hear your Hub and family are returning. Local repellant contains a very high percentage of DEET, but the stuff really works!!!. I use it whenever the bugs (usually in the fall)are bad, especially the no-see-ums, and then take the cure when I return home (grin).

 


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