Preparedness for when

twiglet98

NewShadow wrote: »

For the ponies, have you considered the bath oil version?

We used to use it all the time mixed with cider vinegar and/or a cap of dettol -just as effective as the dry spray.

I did use very diluted green SSS bath oil on my sensitive old mare, I've heard of adding cider vinegar but not dettol - thanks for the tip.

nuatha wrote: »

Most years I've been up on Lewis in mid September the midge have been fairly low level (though stopping off at Loch Lomond was a bad idea). The outer Outer Isles I've only been even later in the year, but would expect them to be fairly similar.
September weather is usually fairly decent.

Thank you SO much nuatha, we'll do some research around that itinerary - nothing beats first-hand experience. Early autumn sounds good to me.

nuatha wrote: »

Are you sure you aren't on commission?
Seriously you should be writing copy for the NZ Tourist Board.
Even if I hadn't seen photos that description would get ATNP added to my bucket list.

GQ's post is a joy to read. Abel Tasman has been high on my bucket list for decades, not sure I'd be brave enough for kayaking now though. I used to like paddling about on flat water, no Eskimo rolls in twigletland. I'm no sailor but paddling parallel to a North Norfolk beach was a big achievement for an aquaphobe.

Everyone should know how to swim, at least a little, and propelling a craft through water in broadly the right direction is another useful skill, even an inflatable dinghy as seen in some of the past winter's horrific TV footage of the floods.

nuatha

twiglet98 wrote: »

Thank you SO much nuatha, we'll do some research around that itinerary - nothing beats first-hand experience. Early autumn sounds good to me.

Its my second favourite part of the world, there are other places I enjoy visiting but the Hebrides are the only other place I've seriously considered living.
I've often chosen the second half of September to holiday - the weather tends to be decent, the kids are back at school, so places are a bit quieter, but generally not winding down towards the closed season, though you can be lucky and hit on for off peak prices.
Health permitting, Herself and I are hoping to be on Lewis this September.

Cappella

GQ - it sounds absolutely amazing from your description (apart from the sand flies) I'd love to go. Have been to Lewis, twice now, in
early October. No midges, and both times we were lucky with the weather, though living where we do we're used to rains anyway.
I've used skin so soft, and take B6 and both help, although I usually get very badly bitten. A friend told me not to eat bananas for at least six weeks before I go away, and to take hay fever relief antihistamines for the same length of time. It sounds odd but it's been really effective. Apparently they are attracted to the scent markers bananas leave in the blood? Anyway I had no bites at all last year, though the rest of our party had a miserable time with mosquito bites and my d-in- law had to have antihistamine injections and antibiotics when we got back to the UK.
Ah! The joys of going on holiday. Not.

ivyleaf

How surprising about the bananas Cappella! Well worth knowing!

Kayaks.... I doubt I could get into one, and if I did, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to get out again :eek: Kayaking does look huge fun though.

GQ One of my memories of Nelson is ordering hot roast beef sandwiches in a cafe and being asked if we wanted gravy with them. It sounded a very strange idea, but evidently quite normal in NZ

mardatha

I love the north west but wouldn't like Lewis, the people I find are too closed, too odd. I like mainland north west though. SSS does work for midges here but this is the east side and our midges aren't so ferocious. I have also heard that if you take brewers yeast they don't bite so am going to try that this summer. If it ever comes. And if we ever get rid of this hail sleet and snow !!!

Jazee

ivyleaf wrote: »

GQ One of my memories of Nelson is ordering hot roast beef sandwiches in a cafe and being asked if we wanted gravy with them. It sounded a very strange idea, but evidently quite normal in NZ

It's quite normal in North Yorkshire too but a yukky idea to a southerner like me!

[Deleted User]

I like gravy on .......CHIPS!!!

GreyQueen

twiglet98, be not afraid of kayaking in ATNP.

You will be going out in twin ocean-going kayaks. The kayak pros (we had the guide leading on her own in a single kayak, and the new-to-the-area-learning-the-route-but-very-experienced-other-kayak-guide in the back seat on my double kayak).

They explained that it actually very difficult to roll these kind of kayaks, even when you are deliberately trying to do so, it takes a lot of throwing yourself around from side to side to rock them far enough over. You have floatation devices and a spray deck to keep water out of the hole you sit in.

The guide explained that in the event of a capzise, you just kick yourself free and bob around on the surface. They will retrieve the kayak and paddle and post you back in. The kayaks have sealed sections and don't sink. We didn't have any trouble of that nature.

ATNP is a series of deep bays and you bay-hop up the coast. At one point, we timed it right to get into the lower reaches of a small river (tide had to be right to get us over a sandbar at its mouth) and paddled into a pristine world of towering cliffs, jungly type growth, turquoise waters and nothing which could not have been there at the dawn of time but our quiet selves paddling along as exotic birds called overhead. Totally magic. Your jaw will literally drop

The Park is set up so that there are aqua-taxis (little speedboat type thingies) going up and down the coast outside the bays, they are in sight but only come in and out of certain bays to put off and pick up hikers, the inner waters are reserved for the kayakers. They're very sheltered. So much so, that if you are a competant kayaker, you can hire the equipment and go off on your own for days.

I kayaked in the sea in a few places around NZ and I'm not particularly brave on the water. It's great because the wildlife doesn't seem to think of you as a human and is very curious and approaches you. The small blue penguins are the darlingest things you ever saw in your life. When swimming, they look like windup bathtoys and seem to be grinning at you. If you slap the water surface with your hand, they come right up to investigate, and sometimes hop aboard. As do the fur seals, which are much bigger and pretty smelly........... :rotfl:

Y'know, revisting those happy memories has made me determined to go back and spend as much time in ATNP as I can afford. I need to shed the 5 stone of overweight I'm carrying and improve my fitness to enjoy it properly first. Am 11 lb down in 6 weeks, so have a very positive thing to work my way towards.

Oh, and I will take a cheap pair of padded fingerless cycling gloves to spare the flesh between my thumbs and fingers from rubbing raw from the friction of the paddle on sodden skin. It was the only thing I could have done with and lacked the first time.

And when you get back, you shower at their base, change into your swimming cossie and get into their hot-tub where they bring you hot milo and biscuits. They like everyone thoroughly warmed up before they let you go.

elaine241

Hello All unfortunately rl caught up with me again and havent popped in recently. Interesting about skills as I was taught that gardening, chicken keeping etc were normal as my mum was ahead of the game! I have learnt to keep bees recently and I'm enjoying that challenge and learning all the time. My boys are getting better at shooting and now we have a new shop in town I'm pestered to go there regularly.
Avon skin s soft I used on my cob last year as he is allergic to midge bites and rubs himself raw once bitten. It was brilliant and nearly stopped it altogether. I went away for a weekend and he rubbed bald as he didnt have a daily spray, I have tried my own mixes with Deet, essential oils etc but I use these more sparingly as they could be strong. Hopefully this year I will get the applications and mixes right to prevent him starting to scratch!

THIRZAH

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I like gravy on .......CHIPS!!!

So do I -and on hot roast beef or turkey sandwiches.