Sea Lice??? Eww!!

[ColbyCupcake]

I have recently heard that there is such a thing in the Carribbean, and they can be really nasty. We will be there June 15th. Will this be a problem? Is it really that bad?

[The Islander]

The nick name sea lice makes them sound more disgusting then what they are - jelly fish.

 

There is a pretty good article at

 

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DailyNews/sealice010528.html

 

While there are jelly fish around the VI and they do annual visit some beaches, like Magens Bay on St. Thomas... the variety that comes around are the large moon jellyfish that are easily seen and when they are out - beach authorities usually put out a big sign at the entrance. Not to worry about Sea Lice and if you see a sign about Jelly fish observe caution, they cause a sting and itch if you come in contact with their tentacles.

 

--Islander

*****

[KimmyinLA]

thanks for that link to the article. We were in Fiji a couple of years back and we kept getting stung. We asked someone at the resort and they called them "sea lice."

 

Even though the article said they sting when squished -- we were actually stung on our legs and arms. It felt like a tiny shock...over and over LOL -- and since we had no idea what it was -- we got out of the water immediately!

 

Hope we don't run into any on our next trip

[jackandnicksmom]

There is a sunscreen called Sea Safe that you can get online. I've heard it keeps you from getting stung. We're going to try it at the beach this summer. So after that, I'll let you know.

[Nancy_Hawks]

I was just asking about this on another board.

Thanks J& N's Mom! I am definately going to look around for that Sea Safe stuff. That article made me laugh. It says to swim naked to avoid being attacked by sea lice.

Don't think the people on my snorkeling excursion would be too happy about that.

 

ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS - CARRIBEAN

Vision of the Seas 9/19/03-Alaska

Vision of the Seas 5/11/03- Mexican Riviera

[mamoni]

If there is something out there that will protect you from them, use it!!!!! Take it from someone who got it in Cancun. I was staying at a new hotel that didn't have the jellyfish warning signs up and was attacked!!! I didn't feel a thing, but later that night, I got 1000 little red dots where my one piece bathing suit met my skin. It was awful and very itchy. I went to the doctor when I came home and was put on Prednizone to help out, but I still had faint pink spots on my body for over 6 months. So, please learn from my awful experience and let me know if Sea Safe works.

[greybear]

Jelly fish They are my nemesis!

 

I live on Canada's east coast and get to enjoy them every summer. Some people have learned to live with them... not me, no way. There are too many types for me to explain what type of sting you might get from them but they are pretty harmeless, yet painfull, in North America.

 

I have NEVER heard the reference sea lice and will have to use it now that I am educated. Can someone tell me how small they are in the caribeean or other parts of the world? When I see them, they are anywhere from 5 inches to 1 foot (circumference and of a wine or maroon colour).

[laodell]

The Cancun message boards are always full of information on Sea Lice. We went to Cancun last summer and I read a lot about them. We've always gone to the Caribbean in the summer in mid-June/early July and have never encountered them and never want to! I was tempted to buy the Sea Safe, but chose not to. Luckily we've never had a problem. (Knock on Wood!)

[ImPcJunky]

We took the East. Carb. cruise in May 2004, and we did the Beach day in St. Martian. I was in ocean for a long while. There was five of us together in our group, no one had a problem. Guess we were lucky.. And I will now knock on wood. Maybe because I use Skin so Soft (by Avon) to keep bugs off me.. They love me, so I use this daily. I don't get bite, and maybe sealice don't like it either. LOL..

[justacruisin]

From what I've read, it seems there is a jelly fish / sea lice season in the Caribbean. Does anyone know when this is? Or, can it happen randomly -- at any time?

[laodell]

It is supposed to be in early spring--around Mother's Day.

[NorfolkSailor]

I was just asking about this on another board.

Thanks J& N's Mom! I am definately going to look around for that Sea Safe stuff. That article made me laugh. It says to swim naked to avoid being attacked by sea lice.

Don't think the people on my snorkeling excursion would be too happy about that.

 

Two other notes - use a dive skin to reduce exposure to areas where the baby jellyfish will be trapped (which is the general problem) and be sure to rinse (preferably after removing any clothing - and rinse them too) with salt water as fresh water will trigger the nemocystes that cause the rash. I've observed that the cells can remain in clothing after pretty thorough washing so avoid cotton wherever possible as it is more likely to trap and retain the critters...

 

Hope this helps.

 

- Kevin

[nitnyleo]

Thanks for the heads-up on sea lice...never heard of 'em before.

 

I found an excellent article about sea lice at:

http://www.fau.edu/safe/sea-lice.html

 

And, I found the Safe Sea site: http://www.safesea.net/

[Starz723]

Guess what, I dont have leave New York City to get sea lice..they are at our beaches in New York. The dreaded jellies especially the lion mane or portuguese man-o-war. Yep,,we get em big time.. The gulf stream passes really close to our shoreline so we get all that good stuff. LOL. Last year we got nothing..HOORAY a first in years. The end of July & August can be so bad, you will see absolutely no one in the ocean. Awful.

 

 

My son and I wear rash guards..you can purchase them at old navy, roxy, or ebay. The surfers wear them all the time. I still get the "itch" on my legs sometimes. Something else I found out. Even after the jellies (sea lice) leave..some of their tentacles are still floating around and you can get the "itch" from that. I heard vinegar takes it away. My itch usually leaves after a few mins. I think it depends on how sensitive you are. Another thing that drives me nuts are the shrimp frye..ewwwwwwwwww they go down my bathing suit. I still love the ocean!

 

Funny, but Ive been to the Carribean many many times and never have I encountered them there. Id better watch what I say,,Im leaving in 6 days..I dont want this time to be the first....I so look forward to my snorkeling excursion to St John on the Winifred. I live to swim in the Carribean!

[Jett456]

I have never encountered them in the islands either. But at the Long Island beaches and last week I was in Ocean City Maryland and there was one day that had tons of jelly fish waste. They were all broken up in the water. It was disgusting. The next day the water was gorgeous. So you never know what the tide can bring in. I bought that Safe Sea stuff just in case. My cruise on the Legend leaves Monday!!

[gatour]

Umm, I thought sealice and and jellyfish are two different things, even though sealice technically may be a jellyfish. Here in Florida, if someone says jellyfish I think of man-of-war type jelly fish. they are around the size of baseballs or basketballs or some size in between. If there is a "run" of them, they will be scattered around the beach and noticable in the water. If you do get stung by one of them, there will be localized pain and a red spot.

 

For sealice, I thought they were really small and not obviously seen. I had never heard of sealice until a few years ago, when mentions of them started popping up various Internet cruise boards, and I have lived in Florida all my life.

 

I think the distinction is meaniful as jellyfish are noticable and can be somewhat avoided while sealice aren't

[worfsmom]

I've had it three times. The last time this June in Cuba. Any of the times that I have gotten a dose in the Caribbean, there were no jellyfish evident, nor was it jellyfish season. Altho, I have swam in Portugese Man of War season with them present at some times, and did not get sea lice.

The first dose was the worst, also in Cuba.

I love to snorkel, and it gets esp bad for women who wear one piece bathing suits. It is related to the jelly fish, but you don't get "stung". Basically it is due to contact with the larvae (for want of a better word) of the immature jellyfish (like amoebae). It causes a rash, esp in the trunk area. The rash is dry, pimplely, pebbly, red. It does not ooze unless you pick/scratch or get a secondary infection. It goes away on its own, about 3 weeks after you arrive back home. It does not scar. My husband has had it once in the axilla, a very mild case. Calamine lotion would help for the itch if you had any. I didn't either times. It does not cause anyother symptoms. You can take my word to the bank, I was vigilant when I first got it. I'm a 50 yr old nurse, so persued every avenue !!!!!

[Nancy_Hawks]

I'm not sure if you find this information helpful or not, but here it goes.

I purchased that SeaSafe stuff and used in on myself last week while I was snorkeling in the Caribbean. So I don't know if the stuff works or there where just no jellies out there.

[mandiecandie5]

Does anyone know if this is a problem in December here??? I'm don't want to take any chances and find out when I get there. :confused: