Attack of the killer mosquitos

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

017-11.700 N
087-35.940 W

They descended just after the nightly rain storm had passed. I don't know if the wind had blown them off of the island or if it was the calm that followed the storm that allowed them to swarm and envelope the boat. Or perhaps like moths drawn to a flame they saw our anchor light and were drawn to it. It really didn't matter...they were here. It was like we were in a miniature version of Hitchcock's "The Birds". I had read reports of campers in Alaska (or Northern Wisconsin for that matter) having their tents carried away by swarms of mosquitos. I had never really believed it, but now I did. Luckily BlueJacket is a bit heavier than the average tent.

The first clue of the invasion came when I awoke and found my fingers swelling up. It looked like some little creature had taken strafing practice on them! Then it was the audio alert as they dove-bombed my head. The cabin searchlights came on and quickly we dispatched a dozen or so of the suckers. Based upon their bloody remains, their raids had already been successful.

We went in search of how the Turneffe Island Air Force had evaded our defense systems. BlueJacket has good defenses, but we're relatively lightly armed. All of the portholes had their screens in, but the screens are held in place by the friction of a rubber gasket, which, if the wind blows too strongly will eject them from the portholes. No design awards here, but in this case it didn't matter as we had the portholes closed already in preparation for the attack (and in case it rained). The biggest hole in our defense was the screen that leads into the cabin of the boat. It snaps onto the slider above it and weights at the bottom hold it in place. An occasional errant mosquito can find its way through little gaps on the sides, but we'd never seen anything like this!

As I approached the screen I heard an intense buzzing unlike anything I had ever heard before. I grabbed a flashlight and aimed it at the screen. I could barely see the cockpit through the masses of bodies clinging to it. We wanted to install the Plexi inserts in the doorway, but it appeared too risky. We decided to launch an all-out attack and pulled out our Weapon of Mass Destruction...a can of Baygon. That stuff is amazing! A few blasts left the cockpit floor covered with casualties. We decided that it was still too risky to install the inserts so we retreated to the cabin and closed the door into it. We could hear them ramming the door all night long, but the door held.

Intense interrogation of mosquitos captured in the main cabin began in the morning. Reports of photos showing the captives in compromising positions are categorically denied and all were treated according to the Geneva convention. We did learn that two types of mosquitos were involved in the attack: a small stealth fighter which is highly maneuverable and very difficult to detect both visually and audibly; and a larger bomber type which leaves large welts but is easily detected and can easily be brought down in air to air combat.

Based upon these findings our fortifications will be modified and we'll be ready for these suckers tonight!

-- Geoff (who according to Sue has too much time on his hands!)
Log ID: 489