Jump to content

What could have left a burn while swimming in Bonaire


myfuzzy
 Share

Recommended Posts

I don't know where else to ask, but to those who scuba or snorkle

 

I was in Bonaire a month ago, swimming at Spice Beach. They have a "dock" of which to enter the water, which is of substantial depth using a ladder.

 

I was hanging on to the railing above the water line, and a wave pushed the side of my thigh into the railing below the water line,which seemed to be wrapped in some kind of rope. Immediately my leg started to burn, and I left the water to find a red mark about an inch wide by 6 long, like a rope mark. In a few minutes there were a few bumps, but went away by the time we left the beach and I no longer gave it a thought.

 

I did notice that it seemed like the top layer of my skin was gone,but I had no more redness or burning, I forgot about it.

 

A couple of weeks after I got home, I had some itching, I looked and the whole mark now had a lot of bumps and the burning came back. Its now been a couple of more weeks with intermittent burning and redness. It is only annoying.

 

I have gone online, and came up with something called fire coral. But doesn't give any further direction on treating,other than an antibiotic cream.

 

Any help I can get would be greatly appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you looked at the DAN website?

 

My DH had this happen to him several years ago, his hand brushed against one of those little feather looking hydroid whips on a reef and it immediately caused him pain. It went away, but as soon as he got in a hot shower later, it came back as a red rash across the back of his hand. Lasted several weeks, anytime it got hot water it would "fire" off again, like a burn. He finally had to stop taking hot showers and go to warm ones for over a month. It finally went away, I think it was 2 months from the event.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you looked at the DAN website?

 

My DH had this happen to him several years ago, his hand brushed against one of those little feather looking hydroid whips on a reef and it immediately caused him pain. It went away, but as soon as he got in a hot shower later, it came back as a red rash across the back of his hand. Lasted several weeks, anytime it got hot water it would "fire" off again, like a burn. He finally had to stop taking hot showers and go to warm ones for over a month. It finally went away, I think it was 2 months from the event.

 

Yes,that is where I got my information.

 

It seems that getting it wet has no bearing on the "burn" it just comes and goes....

 

At first I thought it might have been a kind of jellyfish....but didn't see anything

 

I am just surprised that after it went away, it came back and now it looks like I might have it for a while

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Definitely sounds like fire coral. Immediate first aid is flushing with vinegar and cool water. I rather doubt vinegar would speed the process of relief at this point, but it wouldn't hurt to try. An antihistamine, like Benadryl may help as well.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for your replies. I still have the mark on my leg, not so red now. After swimming at most islands in the Caribbean, I never gave any sea "critters" a thought. I just think it was because the dock that was built attracted this, and that's why this time I got a take home souvenir. Normally, its just a sandy beach.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...