Cozumel Rash/Little Bumps

[Scubadubbido]

I just got back from Cozumel over thanksgiving weekend for the Cozumel Ironman. I think the dive was Santa Rosa dive and I wend with a friend through a open cave like formation and encountered a black seaweed like plant attached to a coral or something; when my hand touched it it stung like crazy. It almost felt like there were tiny hair like thorns embedded in the back of my hand. It happened twice on that trip, both on the back of my hands. I'm attaching a photo which is about 7 days from the day of the dive. it doesn't hurt but cosmetically it looks unattractive. It fortunately hasn't spread just puffy red in the area of the back of my hand where it was stung.

I used DEET for all the mosquitoes all over my body, got a lot of sun burn but the only redness on my body left over from the trip was on the back of my hands where I had contact with black plant or coral (I don't know) with hair weeve, seeweed like appearance. the plant wasn't that big.

 

[DandyDon]

I just got back from Cozumel over thanksgiving weekend for the Cozumel Ironman. I think the dive was Santa Rosa dive and I wend with a friend through a open cave like formation and encountered a black seaweed like plant attached to a coral or something; when my hand touched it it stung like crazy. It almost felt like there were tiny hair like thorns embedded in the back of my hand. It happened twice on that trip, both on the back of my hands. I'm attaching a photo which is about 7 days from the day of the dive. it doesn't hurt but cosmetically it looks unattractive. It fortunately hasn't spread just puffy red in the area of the back of my hand where it was stung.

I used DEET for all the mosquitoes all over my body, got a lot of sun burn but the only redness on my body left over from the trip was on the back of my hands where I had contact with black plant or coral (I don't know) with hair weeve, seeweed like appearance. the plant wasn't that big.

Welcome to SB. What he said....

Hydroid hit for sure. Black feather is perfect description.

It's their way of saying "don't touch"...!

 

[Scubadubbido]

you got it .... black feather is a fine description. it looks like black hair, like a mermaid's hair you see in the movies, looks friendly enough but not. Of course I never try to touch anything just incidental contact from an inexperienced diver.

 

[DandyDon]

Use what feels good. I like hydrocortizone cream. You'll grow new skin over a month probly.

 

[pidgiepoo]

I was half way through a dive(35-40' in open water) when I felt a sting to my mouth. It was ok as long as I held on to my upper lip, but if I let go, the salt water would make it really burn. Had to hold my mouth the rest of the dive and until I got to the hotel and put vinegar on it. I just kept repeating the vinegar all evening until it stopped hurting and by morning it was gone. Any ideas what that might have been? Thought it was a jellyfish..but not sure how deep they go in the water??? Must not have been what everyone else is talking about because it didn't last a week and I didn't get a bunch of bumps...thank goodness

 

[South4Scuba]

I was at my safety stop in The Brac when I suddenly felt a very sharp sting across my top lip. I brushed away whatever was there, but it continued to sting for the rest of the stop and for some time afterwards.

I noticed after the sting that there were a lot of long translucent (white) tentacles in the water. You really didn't notice them unless you were looking for something that stung you. I think they were tentacles broken off of jelly fish.

It is likely that you got into something like that. Harmless, but painful.

 

[cloudswinger]

All the sea lice problems I've had have generally been on the edges of bathing suits and such, since that's where they get trapped. Not so much on my hands. When it's sea lice season, we don't rinse off until we can get the clothes off first, and it's generally not at the beach! And everyone in our house has had our share of man-o-war stings. I really should not have driven home, I was feeling so shakey. It was very painful mainly because the muscles under the sting area cramped up so severely. Passed in 2 hrs though, and there really wasn't much of a rash afterwards. Another friend got hit by the full blob right in the abs, and you could see the 6-pack abs contraction for 2 hrs(through the normal layer of blubber). There was only one position he was comfortable in. My husband had to make fun of him because he had been making fun of our teenage son who had been hit a couple of weeks earlier. Our son is a lot more leary of going out in the water now if the purple flag is up.

 

[DocVikingo]

When it's sea lice season, we don't rinse off until we can get the clothes off first, and it's generally not at the beach!

Where possible, it is considered best practice to immediately remove swimming attire and rinse it and the body with saltwater. The drying out of unfired "stingers" can cause them to release, as can exposure to freshwater.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[jtcon01]

Well, an interesting array of responses, I must say. Here is my response to you nice folks who took the time to respond: no (I know you're kidding by the way) it was not someone's pee; no, I don't think I ran (or swam) into a hydroid; no, I don't use DEET; no, I do not have a photo; and no, neither cortisone cream or vinegar works for my symptoms, though some have suggested, as you did, that it is some sort of stinging coral.

It only seems to have happened when I dive Santa Rosa wall?

Each time I get this rash, it goes away eventually. So, I am not overly concerned.

I was just hoping perhaps someone might enlighten me. Happy bubbles.

I'd like to throw in my two cents. I just retuned after diving in Cozumel and I found the same rash most of you are talking about. Little bumps that itch and one big RED rash under where my watch strap was. I believe this to be the stinging coral that is black - somehow a piece got kicked up while snorkeling with my wife and got stuck there. I do have pictures and will post them if necessary. However, my wife is a beauty consultant and she gave me a cream from Elizabeth Arden. It is more a brown gel. It is called 8 hour cream - skin protectant. I was trying everything until she gave me this cream and I first put it on yesterday - today is is crusting and I feel it will be healed within a total of 4 days. I feel no discomfort except from the first application - it burned a bit. The rash is very nasty looking very red with what looks like small blisters. I would suggest the cream. Of course being a man, I didn't want to put any "makeup" on but this is really a brown gel and I can't tell you how much it has helped. That's my two cents for what it's worth. Happy Diving - Jeff

 

[jtcon01]

I just got back from Cozumel over thanksgiving weekend for the Cozumel Ironman. I think the dive was Santa Rosa dive and I wend with a friend through a open cave like formation and encountered a black seaweed like plant attached to a coral or something; when my hand touched it it stung like crazy. It almost felt like there were tiny hair like thorns embedded in the back of my hand. It happened twice on that trip, both on the back of my hands. I'm attaching a photo which is about 7 days from the day of the dive. it doesn't hurt but cosmetically it looks unattractive. It fortunately hasn't spread just puffy red in the area of the back of my hand where it was stung.

I used DEET for all the mosquitoes all over my body, got a lot of sun burn but the only redness on my body left over from the trip was on the back of my hands where I had contact with black plant or coral (I don't know) with hair weeve, seeweed like appearance. the plant wasn't that big.

"I'd like to throw in my two cents. I just retuned after diving in Cozumel and I found the same rash most of you are talking about. Little bumps that itch and one big RED rash under where my watch strap was. I believe this to be the stinging coral that is black - somehow a piece got kicked up while snorkeling with my wife and got stuck there. I do have pictures and will post them if necessary. However, my wife is a beauty consultant and she gave me a cream from Elizabeth Arden. It is more a brown gel. It is called 8 hour cream - skin protectant. I was trying everything until she gave me this cream and I first put it on yesterday - today is is crusting and I feel it will be healed within a total of 4 days. I feel no discomfort except from the first application - it burned a bit. The rash is very nasty looking very red with what looks like small blisters. I would suggest the cream. Of course being a man, I didn't want to put any "makeup" on but this is really a brown gel and I can't tell you how much it has helped. That's my two cents for what it's worth. Happy Diving - Jeff"