I have tried to be environmentally conscious every step along the way but I have to confess I knowingly did two things this week that in no uncertain terms are not friendly to the environment. While I do regret the choices I made, I am pleased with their effectiveness which will allow me some time to find better options the next go round. Before you are too harsh in your judgment please understand what drove me to this.
Velella had been sitting for quite some time and had a hefty infestation of wasps which had to be eradicated before I took her home due to my extreme allergic reactions to these vile creatures of death. In addition to seeing a roach inside the cabin, at night I had seen many more on the docks. My goal was to get rid of any on the boat and prevent any new stowaways from boarding. My research led me to discover they do not appreciate boric acid so I promptly sprinkled Borax in every nook and cranny I could find to deter them. I also soaked the dock lines, aka dock bug super highways, in a strong solution of borax as well. The added bonus here is my once green dock lines actually became white – well white with some green highlights if we are being honest. Feeling pretty satisfied I had taken some sheets, toiletries and towels to spend a night gently rocked to sleep by the wind and water. As darkness started to fall and I began testing out sleeping configurations in the v-berth a roach went running across the wooden bulkhead. Yes, it was running away from me but that was of little consolation. My overnight plans were quickly aborted and plans for their swift and complete obliteration were begun. That was when I made the emotional decision to buy an indoor fogger – I was going to be wiping down all her surfaces anyway so I would be able to remove any reside. Well, that was the thinking anyway.
Ignoring the toxicity issues for the time being the idea of a fogger seemed the most efficient way remedy the creepy crawly situation. Never having used one, I read the instructions carefully and opened all the hatches including the bilge for an unobstructed access of the fog to chase the little critters wherever they may run. (In my head I totally pictured the cartoon bugs from the commercial.) I took the additional sails from their bags and shook everything out to remove any potential lurkers (there were none and the sails are all in good shape YAY). I removed anything I didn’t want to wash down later, set out an old rag in the front of the boat, shook the can, and pressed the button. Now the instructions say to start the fogger and place it on the rag and exit the room. Room. While the can did say it was safe for boat cabins, it did not really point out that the spray comes shooting out in a stream reminiscent of “Old Faithful” and the small ceilings of the boat mean not only will you run the risk of getting a face full of fumes on the way up, you get a pretty hefty dose as it is forced down, too. I can barely breathe because of my fall allergies and now I am afraid to inhale at all to add to the toxic cocktail in my face and lungs already. Slowing my exit from the scene was the fact I had removed the bilge cover – this meant I had an inch on one side and 3 inches on the other to balance across as I tried to exit quickly with my eyes closed. Luckily my gymnast skills helped and I did this without breaking an ankle in the bilge and scurried out as quickly as I could and exhaled and inhaled clean, fresh air – making a mental note to not repeat this again ever.
So when I returned to the boat, how much bug carnage do you think I found? Surprisingly, very little - one large adult and about 6 smaller ones. That was it. I let her air out the mandatory 2 hours and a few more just because while I cleaned some more algae from her cockpit and topsides and gave the wood another good soaking of coconut oil. This leads me to my next indiscretion. While I was at the store getting the fogger I also found some great LED lights and stumbled upon the moisture removal products. Remembering how well they had worked at a previous job, I picked up a set impulsively. Now, we all know how much I detest plastic – ALL plastic and yet guess what the container is made of. I did opt for the refillable container and not the single use plastic bag hanging from a plastic hanger but had I done just a little research before my splurge I could have constructed a more environmentally friendly solution. For now, this will help prevent more mildew from forming after I wash down all of her surfaces with my peppermint and tea tree Dr. Bronner’s concoction. Fun times and sore arm muscles ahead – good thing I brought the radio!!
Velella had been sitting for quite some time and had a hefty infestation of wasps which had to be eradicated before I took her home due to my extreme allergic reactions to these vile creatures of death. In addition to seeing a roach inside the cabin, at night I had seen many more on the docks. My goal was to get rid of any on the boat and prevent any new stowaways from boarding. My research led me to discover they do not appreciate boric acid so I promptly sprinkled Borax in every nook and cranny I could find to deter them. I also soaked the dock lines, aka dock bug super highways, in a strong solution of borax as well. The added bonus here is my once green dock lines actually became white – well white with some green highlights if we are being honest. Feeling pretty satisfied I had taken some sheets, toiletries and towels to spend a night gently rocked to sleep by the wind and water. As darkness started to fall and I began testing out sleeping configurations in the v-berth a roach went running across the wooden bulkhead. Yes, it was running away from me but that was of little consolation. My overnight plans were quickly aborted and plans for their swift and complete obliteration were begun. That was when I made the emotional decision to buy an indoor fogger – I was going to be wiping down all her surfaces anyway so I would be able to remove any reside. Well, that was the thinking anyway.
Ignoring the toxicity issues for the time being the idea of a fogger seemed the most efficient way remedy the creepy crawly situation. Never having used one, I read the instructions carefully and opened all the hatches including the bilge for an unobstructed access of the fog to chase the little critters wherever they may run. (In my head I totally pictured the cartoon bugs from the commercial.) I took the additional sails from their bags and shook everything out to remove any potential lurkers (there were none and the sails are all in good shape YAY). I removed anything I didn’t want to wash down later, set out an old rag in the front of the boat, shook the can, and pressed the button. Now the instructions say to start the fogger and place it on the rag and exit the room. Room. While the can did say it was safe for boat cabins, it did not really point out that the spray comes shooting out in a stream reminiscent of “Old Faithful” and the small ceilings of the boat mean not only will you run the risk of getting a face full of fumes on the way up, you get a pretty hefty dose as it is forced down, too. I can barely breathe because of my fall allergies and now I am afraid to inhale at all to add to the toxic cocktail in my face and lungs already. Slowing my exit from the scene was the fact I had removed the bilge cover – this meant I had an inch on one side and 3 inches on the other to balance across as I tried to exit quickly with my eyes closed. Luckily my gymnast skills helped and I did this without breaking an ankle in the bilge and scurried out as quickly as I could and exhaled and inhaled clean, fresh air – making a mental note to not repeat this again ever.
So when I returned to the boat, how much bug carnage do you think I found? Surprisingly, very little - one large adult and about 6 smaller ones. That was it. I let her air out the mandatory 2 hours and a few more just because while I cleaned some more algae from her cockpit and topsides and gave the wood another good soaking of coconut oil. This leads me to my next indiscretion. While I was at the store getting the fogger I also found some great LED lights and stumbled upon the moisture removal products. Remembering how well they had worked at a previous job, I picked up a set impulsively. Now, we all know how much I detest plastic – ALL plastic and yet guess what the container is made of. I did opt for the refillable container and not the single use plastic bag hanging from a plastic hanger but had I done just a little research before my splurge I could have constructed a more environmentally friendly solution. For now, this will help prevent more mildew from forming after I wash down all of her surfaces with my peppermint and tea tree Dr. Bronner’s concoction. Fun times and sore arm muscles ahead – good thing I brought the radio!!