If you’re on PC and you find you absolutely can’t make progress, consider modding the game. https://outerwildsmods.com/
Just casually scrolling, I saw a few that modify movement and a few cheat mods that go so far as to just allow you to teleport places. Obviously just teleporting around would lessen the surprises the game offers, so I’d recommend that as an actual last resort.
Swarms of bugs make it a lot less enjoyable, at least for me. There’s nothing like seeing someone’s back entirely covered in mosquito bites just because it rained a couple days earlier. I’ve read it’s only expected to get worse with the progression of climate change, especially when it comes to invasive species.
I guess there’s DEET and permethrin, but I don’t feel great about having to use those.