Dummy of the Day Award

[Bratface]

Oh, owwww. So sorry you had an unfortunate encounter with a bristle worm. I brushed against fire coral in a surge once and never want to do that again. I do like your description of the pain though.

 

[soltari675]

Worse than fire coral? Remind me to watch for fire worms very carefully. The coral was bad enough!

 

[Deac in the Wake]

Your post (and pain) are a learning moment for my 10-yr old who is JrOW and just returned from our yearly trip to Little Cayman. She thought the bristle worms and fire worms were cute and wanted to stroke them. My description, not from first hand experience, of what would happen will now be enhanced by your contribution. Doubt I'll have to repeat this lesson.

Thank you for your post! And hope that heals.

 

[Tessunderwater]

I put my finger down in the sand at Pickens once to steady myself in some current to look between some rocks. I had either touched a southern stargazer or a torpedo ray, it felt like I had stuck my finger in a light socket.

 

[freewillie]

I'm not entirely sure about fire worms, but sting rays a heat labile toxin. If you place your foot (assuming you stepped on the ray) in hot water the heat would break down the toxin. I'm assuming that's the basis behind DAN's recommendations.

If I was to see you in my office as a patient I'd give you a cortisone shot in the bottom to help with the swelling/pain and/or give you oral prednisone tabs for a few days. Sounds like it's getting better quickly. Hope you feel better soon.

 

[shoredivr]

Another reason why the few times I dive warm salt water a full wetsuit seems the best plan.

This is a favourite pain scale of mine, the Schmidt Sting Pain index. Checking the descriptive terms, Rick, where does the bristle worm fall? Hope it's better soon.

Schmidt pain index News, Videos, Reviews and Gossip - io9

Animal:Sweat bee
Schmidt Index: 1.0
Description: Light, ephemeral, almost fruity. A tiny spark has singed a single hair on your arm.

Animal: Fire ant
Schmidt Index: 1.2
Description: Sharp, sudden, mildly alarming. Like walking across a shag carpet and reaching for the light switch.

Animal: Bullhorn acacia ant
Schmidt Index: 1.8
Description: A rare, piercing, elevated sort of pain. Someone has fired a staple into your cheek.

Animal: Bald-faced hornet
Schmidt Index: 2.0
Description: Rich, hearty, slightly crunchy. Similar to getting your hand mashed in a revolving door.

Animal: Yellowjacket
Schmidt Index: 2.0
Description: Hot and smoky, almost irreverent. Imagine W. C. Fields extinguishing a cigar on your tongue.

Animal: Honey bee and European hornet
Schmidt Index: 2.0
Description: Like a matchhead that flips off and burns on your skin.

Animal: Red harvester ant
Schmidt Index: 3.0
Description: Bold and unrelenting. Somebody is using a drill to excavate your ingrown toenail.

Animal: Paper wasp
Schmidt Index: 3.0
Description: Caustic and burning. Distinctly bitter aftertaste. Like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a paper cut.

Animal: Tarantula hawk
Schmidt Index: 4.0
Description: Blinding, fierce, shockingly electric. A running hair drier has been dropped into your bubble bath.

Animal: Bullet ant
Schmidt Index: 4.0+
Description: Pure, intense, brilliant pain. Like fire-walking over flaming charcoal with a 3-inch rusty nail grinding into your heel.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I have been popped by seven paper wasps at once. It was far worse than that. The "flaming charcoal with rusty nail" comes closest... I describe it as "flaming charcoal + smashed with a hammer." If we hadn't have figured out the ice thing, I would have had to go to the hospital. In someone my age (64) probably the greatest danger from pain of that magnitude is a spike in blood pressure high enough to do damage in the brain. (yeah, yeah, I know, we could discuss other brain damaging activities ad nauseum, but for now we'll just skip those, eh? )
Rick

Another reason why the few times I dive warm salt water a full wetsuit seems the best plan.

This is a favourite pain scale of mine, the Schmidt Sting Pain index. Checking the descriptive terms, Rick, where does the bristle worm fall? Hope it's better soon.

Schmidt pain index News, Videos, Reviews and Gossip - io9

Animal:Sweat bee
Schmidt Index: 1.0
Description: Light, ephemeral, almost fruity. A tiny spark has singed a single hair on your arm.

Animal: Fire ant
Schmidt Index: 1.2
Description: Sharp, sudden, mildly alarming. Like walking across a shag carpet and reaching for the light switch.

Animal: Bullhorn acacia ant
Schmidt Index: 1.8
Description: A rare, piercing, elevated sort of pain. Someone has fired a staple into your cheek.

Animal: Bald-faced hornet
Schmidt Index: 2.0
Description: Rich, hearty, slightly crunchy. Similar to getting your hand mashed in a revolving door.

Animal: Yellowjacket
Schmidt Index: 2.0
Description: Hot and smoky, almost irreverent. Imagine W. C. Fields extinguishing a cigar on your tongue.

Animal: Honey bee and European hornet
Schmidt Index: 2.0
Description: Like a matchhead that flips off and burns on your skin.

Animal: Red harvester ant
Schmidt Index: 3.0
Description: Bold and unrelenting. Somebody is using a drill to excavate your ingrown toenail.

Animal: Paper wasp
Schmidt Index: 3.0
Description: Caustic and burning. Distinctly bitter aftertaste. Like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a paper cut.

Animal: Tarantula hawk
Schmidt Index: 4.0
Description: Blinding, fierce, shockingly electric. A running hair drier has been dropped into your bubble bath.

Animal: Bullet ant
Schmidt Index: 4.0+
Description: Pure, intense, brilliant pain. Like fire-walking over flaming charcoal with a 3-inch rusty nail grinding into your heel.

---------- Post added ----------

I put my finger down in the sand at Pickens once to steady myself in some current to look between some rocks. I had either touched a southern stargazer or a torpedo ray, it felt like I had stuck my finger in a light socket.

My bet would be this guy...

Picture taken at Perdido Bay jetties
Rick

 

[Hetland]

I see both (stargazers and torpedo rays) routinely at Pickens. I've been told that one is worse than the other, but I don't remember which, and don't plan on testing the theory anyway.

 

[LeafyGirl]

Thanks for the comprehensive description of pain, makes me remember to really focus on that situational awareness, even for the tiniest of critters, sounds like the fire worms deserve my respect, I dont like pain. Glad you were feeling better the next day. No dummy, just human Happy diving ><>

 

[drbill]

Ouch! Have encountered them several times (including a few right here off Catalina!) but no "intimate contact" thank goodness.