insect bites
 

My wife & I are considering our first trip to the Cayman Islands in May of 2003. She has been severely bitten by mosquitos & no-see-ums in Jamaica & US Virgin Islands. Does the same problem exist on Grand Cayman? She has tried all the usual sprays, etc with minimal or no results. Also, any chance of hearing some decent reggae in the 7 mile beach area? Where & when? Any advice, good or bad, will be appreciated. Thanks in advance..........Dan

I too, Dan, suffer from the same as your wife, they eat me alive. Although I have not yet been to Cayman, it has been my experience that any time I have traveled to an ocean destination, whether it be the Carib or Sanibel Island off the coast of Florida, Maui or the beaches of Cali, I get bit. It is a fact I deal with, and I am happy to say though I find it extremely unpleasant it has not jaded me for I adore the ocean. <BR>With that being said, this is what has helped me. #1, using Off Botanicals and Deep Woods Off together. (I know, feel free to bash me you &quot;no deet people&quot;, ha) #2, Although this is not my favorite rule, staying off the beach from about 1/2 hour before sunset until morning. Drag though it is, this has helped me immensely. I wish you and your wife a safe journey.

They get me too, wherever I go.<BR><BR>In Negril, Jamaica in the daytime I am rarely bothered on the beach...if hiking in the country then I treat as at night. I get off the beach an hour before sunset and go to the cliffs where there are no sand fleas. If it's cool enough, I put on long pants and sleeves. If not, I spray exposed areas with lots of Off - Deep Woods (DEET works for me).<BR><BR>Around 9 or 10 PM, it seems to stop being such a problem as it is right after sunset.<BR><BR>I always stay in a hotel/cottage with screens.

I have the same problem. The folks at Galley Bay on Antigua gave me the only remedy that has ever worked. Every morning,the gardner cut a branch of fresh aloe off their plant, squashed it a little in a cup and brought it to me. I kept it with me all day and mushed it all over my legs, arms, neck, feet, even on my face sometimes. yes, it was very messy and disgusting, but it is the only thing that has ever worked. I took home huge welts all over my body from the bites I got before the aloe treatment or when my timing wasn't right. I will use it again.

thank you all. I too suffer and am leaving for Grand Cayman shortly. <BR><BR> I did read on the gotocayman.com website about taking vitamin b1 for 2 weeks prior to your trip and then continuing while you are there. I haven't done that, though.<BR><BR>I will try and avoid the beach and sunrise and sunset and am bringing Avon skin so soft and the avon skin so soft sunscreen with insect repellent. Also, benedryl, calamine AND NOW ALOE.<BR><BR>

avoiding being outside at sunset definitely will improve your chances at not getting bitten! vitamin b1 helps a bit but depends on the person - deep woods off is the best. i will say though that i normally have huge bug bite issues - also in jamaica and us virgin islands! - but only got 2 or 3 bites when i was in cayman...

thank you beach lover. From what I've read, the Cayman's have done alot to reduce the mosquito population.<BR>

Thanks for all of your advice; it is truly appreciated. Hopefully some or all of your recommendations will help; thanks again.........Dan

For what it's worth, I have heard of a few complaints of mosquitos on GC, but very few. I have been there twice, once in May, and once in March, and have never had to put on any bug dope. We spend every night out on the beach for the sunsets, and never had any problems with biting insects.

I think time of year, amount of recent rainfall and where on what island you are matters a lot.<BR><BR>3 trips ago we went to Negril, Jamaica in January and stayed on the cliffs and I got no bites at all.<BR><BR>The following year in November on the beach I did.<BR><BR>Good luck!

I'm glad to see this post as we were eaten alive in Cayman at the end of October but never had a problem the two times we were in Aruba. We are going to Cayman this July and I was wondering if the time of year had anything to do with it also as Liza said.