A Canoeist's Tale

Although a well-known problem in Scotland for hill walkers, midges are found around the world and can put a dampener on all sporting activities. These three young backpackers tell of their experience whilst canoeing in the Altai Republic, Siberia, in late summer. Their expedition took them kayaking down 3 rivers in the Altai Republic of Southern Siberia. The Katun, The Chuya and The Argut:
Our prior research told us that there would be little in the way of insect life at the time of year we were to be in the Altai.  All I can say is I would not wish to be there when the insect population was at its peak! What we experienced varied from mildly irritating, to 'Scottish' mossie hell.
Insects are always going to try it on; it's what they do. So having to flap one off or end it's sorry little life with a quick slap is going to be a fact of life in my opinion. However, the aim has to be preventing bites. As I said, the only area I couldn't cover consistently was my legs and this was the only area where I was really bitten. I received almost no bites to the areas where a reasonable dose of India Tree Herbal Insect Repellent was allowed to persist.
In practical usage, I was far happier to use this product in place of the Deet based solutions I have used previously. This is mainly due to the damage I have seen Deet based products do to a 2Ooz PVC dry bag, so I am less than happy with putting it on my skin!

Matt
Other paddlers: Martin & Richard

A Fisherman’s Angle

Picture this: fishing on the bank of a loch on the West Coast of Scotland, early evening and a couple in the bag already. Suddenly the tranquillity of the evening comes to an abrupt halt as you feel the first midge sinking its razor sharp teeth into your neck.

Within a matter of minutes the onslaught begins for real, as the rest of the platoon catch up with their leader and you realise that you’ve become the target for a particularly ferocious feeding frenzy.

Now it’s a race against time as you frantically search for your insect repellent in your many pockets, finding floatant, scissors, and fly boxes that you never knew you had. Once you’ve located your ammunition, you spray it onto all your unprotected regions, with a few squirts into the circling squadrons of hungry midges waiting for a vacant space on your tender flesh.

This gives you a respite and is often all you need to defeat them, but occasionally the attack is so strong, you need the extra protection of a midge hood. This makes you look like a bank robber, but as it keeps the midges at bay you really don’t care!

Just never go unprotected into the wilds of Scotland…

Kevin Cullen - Scotland