Green Head Fly Speed

Last year I got my boat license so that I could drive a jet ski while on vacation.  I did drive one and I even tried the stand-up version for a short while.  It's a fun time.  But there is a downside, the green head flies.  I don't know what these villainous creatures are formally named, but I can tell you the innocuous name of "green head flies" doesn't do them justice.

Maybe something starting with "vicious biting and stinging" would be better.  At any rate, I was out on the jet ski again this year and they were after me.  They were after everyone, but I only itch for me, so that was my main concern.  There are periods of no wake you drive through, but those areas are mostly around houses so the flies aren't as bad there.  When we got into the trails in the marsh the real problems start.

So here's how it works: if you maintain speeds high enough--from my experimentation fifteen miles per hour or higher--they can't catch you.  But slow down or stop or fall off, even in the middle of a large open water area, and they're on you in five seconds.  I don't know how they do it out that far; they are highly skilled at hunting people down.

I had been bit, but not too terribly much, and then I ran the jet ski aground in a very sharp, narrow turn.  Standing around in the grass and muck while we tried to get the jet ski back in the water did me in.  Last year I itched for two weeks from the bites.  This year, I am hoping it will be less.  Next year, I'm not sure it's worth the fun for the price in itching afterwards.

The Big Boy Update:  We went to several stores yesterday and at one we told my son he could pick out a toy.  He loves trucks and cars and he sat on the floor in the vehicles aisle for the longest time playing with all the different options.  Finally, he decided on a tow truck (there was a "hook," of course).  He picked the cheapest toy in the whole store I think at $2.00.  I have a feeling that will change as he gets older.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  Happy in the water.  She had the best time in the lagoon the other day.  We put her in a float and the kicked and floated around and didn't want to be bothered because she was so happy sitting in the float and watching the rest of us have fun swimming.