Mosquito Problems?

 Here at Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley we experience many seasons that are filled with unpleasant creatures, mainly the pesty mosquito. Everyone knows that they can carry a variety of diseases. The markets are full of different kinds of repellents that are costly and stink and it is not pleasant walking around smelling like a chemical factory. We have learned of another way to help get rid of these bugs and inexpensively too. We learned that the mouthwash Listerine will kill the mosquito and keep it away. The way to use it is to buy a bottle and pour it into a small spray bottle and spray it around the area you wish to occupy, not directly on you. Spray the furniture, around doorways(not on the door), windows, decks, lawns, picnic tables, kids playgrounds, and the dog house. It lasts for several days and is earth friendly too. Another trick to keeping mosquitoes and other bugs away is to put a dryer sheet of Bounce tucked somewhere on you like a belt loop for example, it also works well as a fragrance for storage areas and for keeping mice out of stored boats.
With mosquito season fast approaching give this a try and see the results for yourself and spread the word.
Another product we like to use here at Houseboating Excursions is called Badger, Anti-Bug Balm, it is good for the skin and bad for bugs. It can be spread all over any exposed skin and it works great for repelling flies of all types and for taking the itch out of bug bites you already sustained. We obtain the product at our local food coop store. You can click on the link we provided and it will take you to their web site and you can order it directly from them, they also sell other types of balm that can help with other ailments. We like the product because it works and is also earth friendly and not harmful to kids and pets. Now you are ready for insect biting season.
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High Water is Here

The high water from the melting snow and some recent heavy rains is upon us here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Currently we are experiencing a weekend of thunderstorms that have the potential to drop a lot of rain, this is not good news for us boaters here in the Mississippi River Valley. We are approaching that time when we all want to get our boats launched and start a new season. The National Weather Service is predicting for now, that the Mississippi River in Port of La Crosse to hit a level of about 14-15ft. before cresting on April 16 or 17th which means the river levels would stabilize and start to drop, provided the area doesn't get hit with heavy amounts of rain. The flood stage for Port of La Crosse is 12ft. and we need it to get down to around 10ft. or lower to access our marina and to be able to safely launch our houseboat. We posted a photo from an area resident that shows the high water effects at Riverside Park here in Port of La Crosse.

We will have to wait patiently for mother nature to do her best and with a little luck everything will be fine and we will be launching at the end of April.

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Eagles Hatching in Mississippi River Valley

Here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley in Decorah, Iowa area the National Wildlife Federation has placed a web cam to view the hatchings of two bald eagles, we have embeded a video clip from our local TV station to assist us in allowing everyone to see the hatchings from our web site, Check it out.


The National Wildlife Federation also has a live feed for everyone to watch how the eagles are doing in their nest, just click on the  NWF link and it will take you to the site and you can download the live feed to see a real eagle's nest in action. It is a rare opportunity for anyone who loves nature and to see our nation's bird.
Please continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise to more destinations and provide more information, adventures and resources.