Vacations in and around the ocean can relax and rejuvenate, whether travelers walk on the beach, surf or dive. But ocean visits can quickly turn disastrous if vacationers end up on the cranky side of a sea urchin, stingray or other sea creature.
Knowing how and where to step in the surf, what first-aid supplies to carry and when to seek professional help can minimize the dangers, according to marine hazard experts.
Many encounters with ocean creatures are minor and require simple first aid, said Dr. Paul Auerbach, professor of surgery at Stanford University Medical Center and author of "A Medical Guide to Hazardous Marine Life" (Mosby-Year Book, Inc.).
Yet there are exceptions, such as the potentially lethal box jellyfish which, with a significant sting, can cause fatal heart and lung failure, Auerbach said. "It is uncommon, but there are deaths every year," he said. Immediate medical attention is vital.
The box jellyfish commonly inhabits the coastal waters of Northern Australia from October to May, where a vigorous education campaign--including posted signs--alerts swimmers and divers to the potential danger on the beach.
Even jellyfish that wash ashore should be avoided, said Wayne Pawelek, diving safety officer for Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla. "A dehydrated tentacle can stay active for days." He particularly warns parents to watch small children, who have been known to "pick up tentacles and pop them into their mouths."
Visitors to South Florida and the Caribbean--especially in April through July--should be wary of "seabather's eruption," a skin rash caused by what some people mistakenly refer to as "sea lice." A fever sometimes accompanies the itching and rash, which may resemble tiny insect bites in areas covered by a bathing suit or T-shirt. There is speculation that it is caused when the almost-microscopic larvae of "thimble" jellyfish become trapped as water flows through the clothing, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Assn.
"Rinse off thoroughly and change suits," Auerbach advises. "Discard the bathing suit." Those who contract these "sea lice" and then wear the contaminated swimsuit again, may experience a recurrence, Auerbach said. The condition usually resolves itself, but some people require treatment with antihistamines, topical steroids or other medicine.
