sea urchins for nerds
Cheers for that Dumpy, I had a quick scan over it and found it interesting!
Luckily I've yet to cop one of those in my foot yet 'touch wood.'
Sorry to hi-jack the thread but I thought this would also interest people.
I ran into a few of these alien like organisms out at Curly on Sunday and I wanted nothing to do with it.
They're about an inch long and bright fluorescent blue giving off a "you touch me you die' vibe. They would come in waves of about 4-5 in an area of maybe 10sqm and when they were near us sitting on our boards it looked like they tried to swim towards us.
Apparently they eat Blue Bottles and then absorb the poison, using it themselves at a higher potency against other prey.
Known as a Blue Dragon Nudi Branch I wouldn't go near the thing, let along touch it.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucus_atlanticus
what an incredible creature! I am glad I am in cold water!
I once got about 10 urchin spines in my feet trying to negotiate the rocks as I was leaving Lennox Point. It was in winter, so I didn't feel anything for the first 20 minutes after getting out. Not pleasant after that. The doctor got all bar one out about an hour later. The last one came out in an explosion of pus about five days after that.
It must be my day for sharing surf-related injuries (see bluebottle comments).
I have only heard the horror stories of sea urchin spines- the way they snap off in your foot and then proceed to work their way through your body to pop out your elbow somehow! I use booties!
Surf starved - I hope urchin related pus explosions from your foot didnt lead you to move to the Mid! Its not worth it! Pus explosions over mid coast most days of the year...
Read a report today of a student in Greece who was paralysed from the chest down after he trod on a sea urchin and developed a rare infection! Doctors have told him he might never walk again but he was determined to prove them wrong.
I've had a few stick in my feet over the years but never thought they could be that serious!!
Hey Mundies,
Moving from Lennox to the Mid is like choosing to drink your own piss when there's a bottle of Coopers Pale within reach. It certainly took more than a couple of urchin spines and some pus to convince me it was worth it.
No, it was my foolish heart that led me hence. You can tell I married a non-surfer; she would never have even suggested such a move otherwise.
Also explains my tag 'surf starved'. Not so many waves in Lobethal...
...An interesting article about the mechanics of urchins spikes, complete with pretty pictures!
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0044140
May your waves be good waves!