dive (!) and spider bite (?)

[nacmacfeegle]

Went diving last sat (9/12) off rockport shore, roughly where you'd ground if you left thatcher island and headed straight in. I have a friend with a private residence there, and figured diving off his backyard might present better lobstering.

*****y entry, won't do it again. Eventually had to put BC on in the water. Strong surge. Nice dive overall... mostly flat landscape of med size rocks (like my only dive at Norman's woe, which I found uninteresting) but with some really big ones to swim around/over (like brace cove, which I really liked). Decent lobstering: 3 lobsters/first dive (small side but definitely keepers), not bad for a shore dive from my experience. 31 foot max depth.

noticed sore behind left knee after stripping down. Became more aggravated over the next day, feverish sleep (nightmare: stuck in Israel/Lebanon conflict), got antibiotics, feverish sleep continues, can't concentrate, got another antibiotic (two shots in butt, plus bloodwork thank you), fever increases. Initial quarter sized lesion develops into palm sized black and blue mark surrounded by red ring. Tested for Lyme/negative. In short, this had me bedridden for five days, fever, felt really crappy, three visits to doctor, panicked spouse.

I don't think I got bit/stung/what have you on the dive, wearing a 7 mm wetsuit, but rather that I got the 'bite' earlier, and the wetsuit aggravated it. Doctor tested, but we never found out what it was.

careful, boys and girls. It's a jungle out there.

Feegle

 

[Ken abucs]

Sorry to hear it. I hope you're feeling better soon.

 

[ScubaSarus]

YEA Glad youre OK. Spider bites can be nasty even if they are not poisonous. You never know were their fangs have been and if they were recently eating a fly that was eating.............. as it roles down the hill.

Bottom line is your Ok and faired much better than a friend og mine.

Keep on diving.

 

[Aquanautchuck]

Could of been in the wet suit leg. Since I dry my dry suit outside in warmer months I have to check the inside before I roll it up. I have found yellow jackets, moths in it.
Hope you get better.

 

[Arduous]

The symptoms you describe sound like that of the Black Widow spider bite.
Of course I’m just saying that it sounds that way, from what I’ve read. I’m certainly no doctor.

 

[ScubaSarus]

I have to agree it does sound like a BlackWidow bite. But if not that, any spider that can bite can cause a serious condition of blood poisoning or bacterial skin infection and it could have been either.

I hope he has a full revovery and yes maybe I'll shake my gear a bit before donning it in the future.