Rivière Bleu
It’s mosquito and midge season. This means that I’m more or less permanently covered in huge red or luminously throbbing bites. Biting insects of all species adore me; I’m like caviar to them. In any given room full of people, I must light up like a Christmas tree on the mosquito target guidance system. To make matters worse, I’m also allergic to the bites, so they come up the size of golf balls. It’s at times like these that I long for the ultimate mosquito bite antidoteâRivière Bleu.
Three years ago, I travelled to New Caledonia in the South Pacific to do some field work. For a week or so, I stayed in one of the ‘scientific lodges’ in one of the National ParksâParc de la Rivière Bleu. It’s a fantastic 90 square kilometres of rainforest, mountains andâas the name suggestsâa river. My host took me to the lodge (which was more of a hut than a lodge, but on the plus side, did have a shower and toilet), and then took me on a brief tour of the surroundings. He pointed down a steep slope, and with a smile said, “And this is your swimming pool”.
Many places in the world have rivers called whatever ‘Blue River’ happens to be in the local language, and they are always a let-down. It almost always turns out that the ‘Blue River’ could be more accurately described as ‘Muddy Brown River’, or ‘Murky Green River’. This Blue River was another proposition entirely; it was gloriously clear, and a delicate, fresh aquamarine colour. The river bed was lined with big, smooth cobbles, rather than mud or sediment, which shimmered under the crystal water. The whole thing looked as if it had been designed by an award-winning landscape architect.
Of course, the first thing I wanted to do was to have a swim. It was hot, humid, andâas I had been in New Caledonia for a weekâI already had a thriving collection of horribly itchy mosquito bites. I stowed my bags in the lodge and changed into my swimming costume, putting my shorts and T-shirt back on top, before I trekked down the slippery slope to the river.
I found that a young couple was already enjoying a swim, so I said a cheery, “Bonjour!” which was returned with a smile. The smiles rather froze on their faces as I stripped off my shorts and T-shirt to reveal the bumpy red and yellow mess that my skin had become, set off nicely by my British pallor. With wan smiles still on their faces, they hurriedly left the water and made their way up the slopeâI might have the plague or something. So, I had this glorious stretch of water to myself.
I held my breath and dived straight in. Almost immediately, my body rocketed out of the water again, of its own volition. I had assumed that the water would be pleasantly cool, butâwith the water coming straight off the mountainsâit was actually freezing. Once all of my internal organs had stopped trying to climb into my neck, it was really rather pleasant, and gloriously soothing for the bites. What could be nicer than gliding through clear, aquamarine pool, listening to tropical bird song and watching the sun set over the palm trees? If you ever find yourself in New Caledonia with masses of infuriating insect bites, just grab your bathers and head for Rivière Bleu.
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Sounds idyllic. Mmm...
By the way, the best mosquito repellent I ever came across was one of those flat green coils from Indonesia. You light the end, and it every so slowly burns down. I remember learning about them years ago, when visiting my sister and her husband in Amsterdam. On a warm summer's night marred only by the certainty of knowing the mosquitos would soon be coming to enjoy a frenzied feast of my skin, my sister lit the end of one of these coils and placed it on the balcony. The smell was unusual, and I have no idea of what it was made of. But functionally it was amazing! Not a single biting insect dared venture past the balcony and into the flat, and I enjoyed the evening and survived the night with my skin remaining unbroken and ready to face another day.
I've never seen these coils in Britain. I suspect they may be illegal, due to their contents. If I remember correctly, the one in Amsterdam had been purchased in Indonesia. We definitely had to burn it on the balcony, and not in the flat. I'd love to know if there was anywhere in the UK where they can be bought, though.----- I had one of those coils in New Caledonia (also bought them in Italy)--fat lot of good it did me. I remember going to someone's house in Italy for dinner, where the hostess was burning one of these in the window. I saw one of the mosquitos milling around outside make a brave dash past the smoke, buzz around the room completely ignoring everyone else in the room, and then make a beeline (or a mosquito line?) directly for me.
I must have tried every biting insect repellent/killer on the market, and none of them seem to work on me.
by bsag @ 20/06/2003 5:07 pm • Permalink •
2
Alas...
Short of walking around wearing a mosquito net from head to toe, which would be an "interesting" fashion statement, then there seems to be no solution.
Unless, that is, it's a dietary thing - maybe if you cut one thing out of your diet, or add another thing to it, they might not be so tempted. They prefer me, for instance, when I've got alcohol running through my body. They're less keen, however, when I'm surrounded by a cloud of smoke. So I can protect myself when I go to a bar, but the little buggars know that once I'm asleep there'll be rich pickings!
With that, my suggestions are exhausted.
by David (TEFL Smiler) @ 21/06/2003 12:06 pm • Permalink •
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Do you have a contact email address for Parc de la Rivi�re Bleu. Doing research on bird breeding behaviour and can't find info that i need
by Philip Wright @ 04/11/2003 2:12 pm • Permalink •
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Great story about Parc de la Rivi�re Bleu. Did you also get over to the Loyalty Islands at all? Wonderful area....
by David Stanley @ 21/02/2004 2:03 am • Permalink •
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