Biting Back No See Ums

Cold and creamy, Da Loose Mongoose’s
No See Ums are basically a smoothy with
kick – a big kick.

Killer Bees.  Painkillers.  No See Ums. Voodoo Punch.  Bushwhackers.

I love the names of iconic Caribbean cocktails.  Some of ‘em taste pretty darned good, too.

Of course, when our newfound cruising friends, Colleen & Michael of Goldilocks (clickhere to see their blog – lot of excellent sailing videos and photos) suggested, the No See Ums at Da Loose Mongoose, I was definitely game.  I liked the idea of biting back no see ums, which bite much like mosquitoes, but are much sneakier.  They like me; the feeling is not mutual.  Also known as sand fleas, they’re too small to see, hence the name.  Unlike mosquitos, there’s no warning buzz, before during of after their flesh-easting feasts.

Leslie, Da Loose Mongoose bartender says
she’s not the one that wrote this on their
blackboard.  She didn’t erase it, either.

Humoring me, Wayne and I dinghied over to Da Loose Mongoose, a quirky beach bar at Trellis Bay, Tortola and ordered up one no see um each.

Leslie pulled out about a dozen bottles, a several unmarked jugs and poured away, then blended them into a potent smoothie.  Not everything out, went in, but here’s what I saw… no guarantees or ratios….

No See Ums

Coco loco (& liquid ice cream – Leslie’s touch)

Pineapple

Rum(s)

Fruit punch

Banana

Pineapple juice

Ice

They were good.  But…

I’d rather drink a Painkiller even if they were the same price.  No See Ums are a more generous serving, but $7-8  versus $5 for a non-Happy Hour Painkiller.

Ironically, I got probably 30 no see um and / or mosquito bites drinking my No See Um.   All while I’d contemplated my blog headline:  Biting Back No See Ums.  Da Loose Mongoose offers complimentary sprays of “Off;” foolishly I neither used my own insect repellant nor theirs.

Damn; mother nature’s no see ums won that round after all!