Heard of Sea Lice?

[djjsperry]

Going to the Caribbean and had someone warn me of Sea Lice? Was he pulling my leg?
Janelle

 

[djtimmy77]

It is something we have here in South Florida in the summer months when the water is warm. They are larval jellyfish and they cause a skin irritation.

 

[NARCOSISOFTHERIVER]

Up here they are also known as Sea-doo's and waverunners.

 

[boulderjohn]

If you are wearing a wet suit, they are not much of a problem. My wife, who snorkels only, has had problems several times. They get under the bathing suit and create itchy welts. They don't like sun screen, and there are several sun screen varieties sold that are specifically designed to repel them.

 

[DIVERDANFOWLER]

I got Sea Lice in Cozumel , I also used to get it when I lived in Palm Beach County Fl.
It might be a myth but I aways seemed to have luck not getting them if you shower with soap as soon after getting out of the water as possible.

 

[blawler1]

As stated earlier, sea lice (jellyfish larvae) are usually a late spring, early summer issue in Florida/Caribbean; however, I got my worst dose in early December in Cozumel one year, so there is an argument for year round exposure protection. I was just wearing a t shirt and I got hits all over my left arm so bad it looked like small pox. Even though I rarely don a wet suit, I do now carry my long sleeve lycra top with me because of this.

 

[NudeDiver]

Going to the Caribbean and had someone warn me of Sea Lice? Was he pulling my leg?

Gotta watch out for the sea crabs too - don't pull their leg(s).

 

[dhammer]

Going to the Caribbean and had someone warn me of Sea Lice? Was he pulling my leg?
Janelle

I've heard you can get rid of them with a Comb Jelly (hee hee)

 

[knotical]

DAN Divers Alert Network : Debunking the Sea Lice Myth

 

[cflJason]

I had the pleasure of falling into these things while surfing once. At the time I had been surfing for a good 7 years and had no clue what had just happened. Luckily enough I don't have very strong allergic reactions, so the burning didn't even last an hour, but it was very uncomfortable.