Peacock 1. Sept. 30th

[IowaCaveDiver]

Conditions are really nice right now at P1.... Basin is high, up to the 3rd step which is great for gearing up and easy exit/entry. The basin is also very clear as is also inside the cave. We he added up towards cisteen and had 60'+ viz in most areas. There are a few low lying spots where you will see some green/cloudy/colder river water but 95% of the open passage is beautiful.
Thanks to Kelly's talk on cave creatures I can also report that we saw an abundant population of little bugs swimming up from the silt as we made our way through the passage. (Sorry Kelly, I need to study up on my cave creature terminology)

I lost 7 quarts of blood as we hastily packed up and were devoured by mosquitos. Bring the bug spray!

[michael-fisch]

Using bug spray near latex seals is a big no-no! It melts latex.

Michael

[IowaCaveDiver]

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=U3TyQMlJ4yI

[rddvet]

Using bug spray near latex seals is a big no-no! It melts latex.

Michael

Not true. Depends on the bug spray. Use multiple all the time with no issues.


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[sskasser]

DEET is what has melted seals for me. As long as I stick with one of the "gear friendly" sprays, I'm good. Walmart sells some in their camping section marked as such. I noticed one of the state parks selling the same stuff in their gift shop last week.

Look for picaridin as the effective ingredient. I have to apply about once an hour if I'm really sweating, but it's better than what DEET does to my system and gear.

I also spray down my hiking boots and pant legs with permethrin periodically (but not on my skin or anywhere in the vicinity of gear).

[Kelly Jessop]

Conditions are really nice right now at P1.... Basin is high, up to the 3rd step which is great for gearing up and easy exit/entry. The basin is also very clear as is also inside the cave. We he added up towards cisteen and had 60'+ viz in most areas. There are a few low lying spots where you will see some green/cloudy/colder river water but 95% of the open passage is beautiful.
Thanks to Kelly's talk on cave creatures I can also report that we saw an abundant population of little bugs swimming up from the silt as we made our way through the passage. (Sorry Kelly, I need to study up on my cave creature terminology)

I lost 7 quarts of blood as we hastily packed up and were devoured by mosquitos. Bring the bug spray!

Glad you came. Thanks a lot

[cmint]

I also spray down my hiking boots and pant legs with permethrin periodically (but not on my skin or anywhere in the vicinity of gear).

Be extremely careful if you use this stuff and have a cat. I was told it's extremely toxic to cats, even in tiny amounts.

[sdenney]

Be extremely careful if you use this stuff and have a cat. I was told it's extremely toxic to cats, even in tiny amounts.

Permethrin is toxic to cats in liquid form. Once your clothing is treated with permethrin and dry, it is harmless at that point. Permethrin is to be used to treat your clothing prior to ever going outside (its not to be used like bug spray). It will last around 6 washes if you are treating it yourself. For the clothes that are pre-treated by the manufacturer (labeled "InsectShield" and other marketing terms), you can get 20+ washes before needing to re-treat.

Picaridin is the stuff to use as bug spray when you go outside. It is safe for synthetic materials (nylon, etc), unlike DEET. There is also the Lemongrass/Eucalyptus based bug spray which also works well.

[rddvet]

Be extremely careful if you use this stuff and have a cat. I was told it's extremely toxic to cats, even in tiny amounts.

Unless you're spraying it on your cat in a significant amount it's of no concern.

Those cheap over the counter flea meds that everybody seems to like to buy at walmart and target contain either premrethrins or pyrethrins which in a siginificant dose can lead to toxicity. Those are what people should be afraid of. We've tried to have them taken off the market for years, but they're EPA controlled not FDA. The EPA doesn't give two craps about your cats. Just bald eagles and fish in streams.

People should stop buying cheap over the counter flea medications for their pet and consult a veterinarian instead. It will be much cheaper than bringing your cat to the ER which happens on a nightly basis due to those products.

(End rant)

[JE]

The only way to prevent bug bites: Burgess 1443 Propane Insect Fogger for Fast and Effective Mosquito