WARNING - Sea Lice !
 

I am sorry to come back after saying my goodbyes - I do log in to check on Bundy and Bundy mum and note no news lately - hope both are OK.

I also had to do a search on the site to see if anyone had discussed these awful creatures - sea lice. We were in the Whitsundays at Christmas and were bitten by them quite often - we were informed that primarily that is what the famous and totally unflattering 'stinger suits' (think putting yourself in a pair of tights - up to the top of your head !!) are for. Yes the suits protect you against the fatal box jelly fish but you have a 98% chance of the sea lice getting to you more than the jelly fish.

Anyway, I though been a newbie (9 months in Aus) that it was confined to the north of Brisbane - nooooooo - we often go to Kings Beach, Caloundra and were there on Saturday -jumped in the sea for the normal body/surfing session and wow - twice as bad as the Whitsundays ! My youngest son has had a awful reaction to them and in covered in red dots and stratches so much its like the chicken pox all over again. The sting is soo bad - I had to come out of the water after about ten minutes. Hubby and eldest son stayed in and got lots of stings but luckily have not had a reaction to them, just my poor 10 year old.

Anyway, I have tried to search the net for more info - are they seasonal (never noticed them at Kings beach before), and best way to treat a reaction. Can only find sites that cover Florida and not Aus and they don't tell me much - any local knowledge ?

Please take the above as a warning, especially if you have young children - its not a nice experience. If you or your family are wearing full costumes/sunnies/t-shirts whilst swimming, they will sting you more as they get trapped inside the material ! Best to swim nude, one site said (I think I hit the right button !) the thought of been stung on a the privates will leave me sitting on the beach till I know the critters have gone !

Re: WARNING - Sea Lice !
 

Hi

Sorry to hear you had such an experience. Unfortunately sealice are in most places, including rivers and creeks. Certainly when I was at Tallabudgera (Gold Coast) over Christmas they were in the creek there, again, I was 10hours off the Whitsundays and they were there also. They're a pain for sure! Stinger suits will give you protection, depends whether or not you want to be head-to-toe though on the beach, as they're made more for divers.

A quick google search found this; Sea Lice

Re: WARNING - Sea Lice !
 

Thanks for the reply. I still cannot find if they are seasonal ? Temperature related. You can usually read the ocean, you know when the blue bottles are blown in etc. The thought of sitting on the surfboard on the sand, depresses me ! Still I suppose that shows how much time I spend in the water as oppossed to standing on the board !

Re: WARNING - Sea Lice !
 

we never got stung by sea lice in oz all the year we were there, but have when we've visited other places, it was really bad last year in egypt, we were at the safety stop after doing a dive so we had to tolerate them biting us for 3 mins until it was safe to go to the surface, its horrible isn't it?
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