Shields Up!

When I was a boy, I used to love camping- what young lad didn't- Be it camping with my family or going to Scout camp, yes even my summer in the Military, I loved the experience of camping. But the one thing about the camping experience, that always was an annoyance of mine was,,,,,,,,, MOSQUITO'S!

These blood sucking MO FO's always found me and seemed to prefer filling up on some premium O Negative rather than dine on anyone nearby. And when settling down for the night, lights off and eyes closed, tucked away in my sleeping bag, there was always that one little SOB who could find their way near my ear and wake me from near sleep with their buzzing little wings.

Boating, call it camping on the water, surely would be different. Well that depends I suppose where you anchor or tie up. We found that even at Horseshoe Bay the little buggers like to come out just about the time you want to sit down and enjoy a meal or drink as you watch day turn into night.

We needed a solution. Our man Richard told us that he closes up for the night and uses a cover to go over his companion way to keep the bugs out from the cabin below. But what about being on deck?

The crew of Corleto thought about this problem. We could I suppose get some mosquito netting at a camping or boat store with it's insane Recreation/ Marine markup or we could use traditional repellents and candles to try to combat the little pests.

As we drove home one Saturday from the dock, Charlene says out of the blue, "Lets stop at IKEA, I think they have a solution to our problem."
I'm thinking, well when last I checked IKEA did not have a Marine section, I don't think they sell a FLURG sail or a POYNG anchor or a dingy that can only be assembled with an Alan key.
But I humour her and turn into the parking lot and in we go. And damn, don't you know my Chief Engineer heads right to the bedroom section and bam, she chucks a hooped thing into the basket, lets get two. Two hooped things into the basket. We head to the checkout and we are on our way.

A day or so later we are headed back to the boat with a new MAGMA BBQ and our magic IKEA hoops. We decide to enjoy our first BBQ on our boat when our day on the water is over. The evening is perfect. But wait, the smell of the grill and the fading daylight bring out those little buzzing insects and it is then I see the brilliance of Charlene's hoops of wonder. As we hang one from the boom over top of the Cockpit.

The magic hoop as it hangs from Corleto's boom

We sit down and enjoy a nice meal with zero bug interference. 

It is when we are away on our Schooner Cove trip that the icing on the cake comes when a number of boaters who see us with Mosquito canopy deployed, complement Charlene with what a clever idea it is. Some ask, "What marine store did you find it?"- Charlene answers "IKEA - 9 bucks." For a couple of boating noobs, we are pretty proud of our Mosquito Shield.

Chief Engineer and Idea Lady Charlene preparing to enjoy her morning Coffee under the protection of the SHIELD 

You can enjoy a bite free book, and a relaxing beverage under the SHIELD

So now whenever we settle down for the evening to enjoy some time on Corleto's decks with a nice meal and a glass of wine or a nice cold one, we put the Shield Up and sit back and enjoy our bug free evening.

Bug free and lovin' it.