Safe rest: Who can bite and sting in sea water. plankton allergy plankton bites

I'll tell you about what can overshadow your wonderful vacation in paradise Thailand. Or in any other country with a similar climate and traditions. You can not read now, but remember for the future where to look, if suddenly something.

Lyrical digression. So many expats who have lived here for years have not encountered any of the biting creatures listed below. But this does not mean that you will be lucky in the same way. My good friends, for example, having lived in Thailand for seven years in happy ignorance of all this, returned to Russia, and a year and a half later, having arrived in Thailand on vacation for two weeks, both fell ill with dengue fever.

I read several cases when people brought home from the Philippines and from Thailand hookworm, also known as a migratory larva. The guys in Moscow reached the Institute of Tropical Medicine - no one could diagnose them. This, however, seems strange to me, although I see no reason not to trust these travelers.

Here is my personal abbreviated review of biters in Thailand. I hope it doesn't come in handy in the end.

In the sea

The two main maritime hazards in terms of bites are jellyfish and plankton. Someone will remember about moray eels, sea snakes and, simply, sharks, but here I have nothing to even comment on. Although just a few months ago, at a familiar guide on the Similans, at low tide, a tourist was indeed bitten by a moray eel. But this is more of a rare exception than a real danger. Everything is fine with the girl, they just injected a horse dose of antibiotics (in case the moray eel did not brush her teeth before the bite). Oh, and an antihistamine. Also a couple of months ago mysterious case with a shark in the Hua Hin area - something bit the man, and for lack of other versions they agreed on a shark. But it's all good too. But jellyfish and plankton are an urgent reality.

Jellyfish

Dengue-carrying mosquitoes bite at dawn, dusk, and also during daylight hours, but in the shade they look noticeable: they are larger, black, and have white stripes on their legs. Not every mosquito is infected, so don't panic if you see one sting you. This means nothing.

Treatment is symptomatic, but I strongly recommend that you see a doctor - and, of course, pre-purchase insurance. Please note that very many insurance companies exclude dengue from insurance coverage, so be sure to read the terms of insurance BEFORE purchasing insurance. For me, 7 days in the hospital with dengue, for example, cost around 50,000 baht (about one and a half thousand dollars).

The conditions of the insurance companies are constantly changing, so I cannot say which companies currently cover dengue fever and which do not. But on the website of the aggregator CHEREHAPA there is a very clear comparison table, it will help you navigate. Check:

Bumblebees, bees

Again, I'll brag about my own experience: I was bitten by a local bumblebee, huasya. This is such a healthy black-striped fool. I bit into the eyelid, it was insanely painful with my rather high pain threshold. She sobbed for half an hour, then ran to the hospital, where she received an injection of an antihistamine and a set of antibiotics for the road. In the end what. Half of the face was swollen, the eye was swollen. The tumor did not subside for 10 days! During this time, I managed to visit another hospital, at the reception of which, at the sight of my face, the girls got excited and sent me to a separate building. Frame plastic surgery. Explainable.

Actually, what is all this for: with the bite of such a stinging insect Antihistamines are required and antibiotics are also required, because in the local hot and humid climate, even a tiny wound can develop a serious infection. Local doctors do not play it safe, prescribing antibiotics on occasion and without. Although no, they are reinsured, but not unreasonably. As a rule, even those insurances that “exclude insect bites” cover such cases.

Ants

Ants in many condos, houses, hotels are a real scourge. There are a lot of models of ants here: from small red and nimble ones that smell so pleasantly sour when crushed, to huge brown and black monsters that bite so hard that you want to climb on the wall. The main problem with ant stings is that many people experience allergic reactions of varying severity to the stings. Sometimes one bite spreads into a plaque with a diameter of 6 cm. It is especially sad when this happens with children. In some cases, there is even an increase in temperature. Here again, no miracles: antihistamines and soothing ointments or lotions. Bites pass quite quickly, in 3 days.

Other insects

Of the most disgusting and dangerous in Thailand, there are and scorpions, and poisonous centipedes. I probably saw scorpions a couple of times and centipedes a couple of times - the latter in a dead version. I don’t know a single person from my acquaintances who would be bitten by a scorpion or who would plunge into the poison of a centipede. Most often, harmless telephons are mistaken for scorpions - these often hang out somewhere near the pools or directly in them - and cicadas - are found in the evenings on the beach in the sand, and giant and common centipedes are taken for centipedes. All these creatures are nasty, but completely harmless.

Animals

How many vacationers are thrilled at the sight of cute monkeys, how many tourists are ready to stroke stray dogs, and how many literally faint at the sight of a snake. Usually harmless.

Dogs

Lord there is rabies in thailand. These are not horror stories, this is a harsh reality. Pattaya belongs to the unfavorable red zone. Phuket is much safer. Hua hin is somewhere in the middle. And in Thailand there is a huge number of stray dogs. They huddle in packs and have long ceased to be the lazy Buddhist dogs of a decade ago. They are often very aggressive. But good Thais believe that dogs are reincarnated people who work off their karmic debts of past lives in this way. Offend cannot be fed. Therefore, the number of stray dogs is growing exponentially.

Below is a map of the spread of rabies in Thailand in 2018. Of the 77 provinces, 22 are in the red zone ( high risk), 21 - in green (no rabies). East Coast bays, including Pattaya (Chonburi) and Rayong are red. So is Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin). As well as the lower part of Isan. From the north it is bad in Nan, Chiang Rai and Taka. But Phuket is green.

I strongly recommend not to wander through the narrow dark streets at night: the probability of stumbling upon a pack of dogs is high. Do not stroke or approach unnecessarily (what???) stray dogs. AND be vaccinated against rabies.

If anything, you will be injected with it here already after the bite. Many insurances cover.

Monkey

Arrogant, crazed, shameless, dangerous - this is how I see monkeys. Mi-mi-mi what a monkey! This is how tourists see them. In short: stay away from monkeys. They also carry rabies, they bite painfully, they can finally just take things away. Yes Yes! The actions for a monkey bite are the same as for a dog bite: go to the hospital to get an injection for rabies and treat the wound. They will prescribe antibiotics for good luck, do not hesitate.

The bats

Due to the limited range of caves in the vicinity of Pattaya, there are few bats here. There are flying foxes, but they eat fruit and sleep during the day - I don’t know what needs to be done so that they bite you. But be that as it may, the bats- another carrier of rabies. Do not climb into the flock itself, if that.

snakes

If you're afraid of snakes, subscribe to one of the bands like Pattaya Snakes; Huahin Snakes etc. There, some hysterical participants post photos of the snakes they met on the way, others tell what kind of animal it is and how dangerous it is. In a nutshell - the vast majority of snakes around are absolutely harmless. Yes, it can hurt to bite, but, as a rule, they don’t actually attack, but defend themselves. Stay away from snakes and they won't bite you.

If bitten, then:
1) Try to remember what the snake looked like, or better yet, take a picture of it. In which case it will help to choose the right antidote.
2) Run to the hospital. No need to gnaw out a piece of meat, sucking out the poison, as we remember, we were taught at school.

In the hospital, they will take a blood test from you and inject what you need. They will give you antibiotics. You are in Thailand! Drink antibiotics if you don't want to give the infection a chance.

For 10 years in Thailand, I have several times seen beautiful bright green long-snouted lashes (it can bite, the poison is slightly poisonous, fraught with swelling and that’s all), and different variations of snakes. The only truly poisonous specimen I met was in the jungles of Sakeu, but there was really game there (just in the photo; this is the Malayan bush snake). Game is not at the level of the national park, but game in general. And in civilization run into poisonous snake difficult. Although people say that they saw kraits with us, I doubt it.

Conclusion

Well. Didn't forget anyone? In conclusion, I can only wish you a pleasant stay and do not encounter anyone's bites. Something like this.

AND buy insurance!!!

In contact with

People go to Thailand for the sea and the sun. A beach holiday in the kingdom of smiles is magnificent, which is facilitated by both white sand and ultramarine waters of the Adaman Sea. However, it is they who can bring problems to vacationers, because marine life, at times, can be quite dangerous.

Of course, in touristy habitable places, for example, in Phuket, encounters with dangerous marine reptiles are minimized, although incidents sometimes still happen. You should be especially careful when swimming on exotic islands, many of which are uninhabited, so their coasts are colonized by numerous marine inhabitants. So who should be feared, swimming in the crystal clean water?

The most common marine life in Thailand is jellyfish. There are not so many of them in the resort areas, but most often they are found in Phuket on Patong Beach. Jellyfish cannot be picked up, and in general it is undesirable to simply touch them. Of course, nothing terrible will happen from touching a small jellyfish, but if you simultaneously receive a “kiss” from several pieces, for example, hitting the center of their flock, then the consequences can be sad. There are cases when bathers lost consciousness or experienced convulsions from such exposure.

After meeting with jellyfish, the place of contact may burn, irritation appears, and blisters may also appear, resembling the effects of a burn.

The consequences after a meeting with the Cubomedusa Sea Wasp can be much sadder. This is one of the most dangerous species jellyfish, the poison of which penetrates the heart and death can occur in ten seconds. However, no such cases were recorded in Phuket. Most often they are found in the vicinity of Hua Hin.

How to avoid meeting a jellyfish: Most often, jellyfish swim up in cloudy weather, so when swimming in sundial you can avoid meeting them.

What to do after meeting with a jellyfish: if the meeting did occur, the first step is to remove the remnants of the tentacles, if they remain on the skin. Next, the bite site should be poured with an acidic solution, for example, lemon or lime juice.

poisonous fish

The marine fauna of Thailand has more than a hundred species of fish, about five percent of which are poisonous. You can recognize them by their bright coloration, like most animals, by this they warn that it is better not to approach them, and, in our case, not to swim up.

Lionfish

Most often there is an opportunity to meet lionfish or lion fish. It is easy to recognize it by its long striped fins sticking out in all directions. She lives most often in coral reefs, so divers should be on their guard. A bite with thorns is very painful, after which the state of health deteriorates sharply, and a large portion of the poison can lead to paralysis of the respiratory tract. Lionfish are very calm and non-aggressive, so when meeting with them it is better to just swim away - there will definitely not be a chase.

scorpion fish

This fish hides in coral thickets and skillfully disguises itself under them; in order to find it, you need to swim deep enough. Upon contact with its spikes, the strongest poison is injected into the human body, for which there is no antidote. Large portion can cause paralysis respiratory system and death. Naturally, meetings with this inhabitant of the seabed should be avoided.

Sea bass

In appearance, it is very similar to the common river perch, thanks to its bright fins. The fish also lives near coral reefs, and its spikes can send a swimmer to a hospital bed. Its poison is not as dangerous as that of a scorpion fish, but it is very painful, and it requires treatment.

stone fish

This ugly fish, as the name implies, looks like a stone. It is found in rocky coastal waters or near coral reefs. During a storm, it can be washed ashore, so in muddy water there is a high probability of stepping on it. Its poison is not dangerous, but the bite site should be treated with a disinfectant and put in hot water. It is also recommended to visit the hospital and get vaccinated against tetanus.

How to avoid meeting poisonous fish: most species of fish, both poisonous and completely harmless, live in coral thickets, as well as crevices of rocks or stones. Divers and snorkelers are most at risk of meeting them. Many of them also prefer to swim at night or in cloudy weather when there is no sun. Therefore, the safety rules are simple: don't swim at night, don't go into muddy water, and don't swim too close to coral reefs.

What to do after meeting with poisonous fish: if you are bitten by a fish, then you should not talk for a long time about what kind of species got to know you better. In this case, you should immediately go to the hospital, without wasting a minute.

It would be nice if you could still remember what it looked like marine life to quickly pick up the antidote. The main thing here is not to hesitate, as some poisons act literally within a few minutes.

sea ​​snakes

There are more than a hundred species of snakes in Thailand, some of which are marine, which are found in Phuket. They live in cool and dark places such as water caves or crevices in rocks and rocks. The most common are kraits or cones. They do not differ in bright colors, reach a meter in length, but appear infrequently in resort areas. Sea snakes are less aggressive than land snakes, their teeth are farther away, but the venom can be deadly.

How to avoid a sea snake: Don't choose beaches where there are a lot of caves or rocks as places for swimming. You should also avoid swimming in murky waters, such as after a storm or on cloudy days. If, nevertheless, you meet a snake, do not twitch, do not splash, do not make sudden movements. Since the snake is not aggressive, it will not attack first, but will try to swim away.

What to do after meeting with a sea snake: in case of a bite from a sea snake, you must immediately bandage the place above the bite with a tourniquet to prevent the spread of poison throughout the body. You should also immobilize the bite site and call rescue services, as urgent hospitalization is necessary.

Antidotes for snake bites are available in all Thai hospitals, the faster the drugs are administered, the more likely it is that the unpleasant the meeting will take place without health consequences.

sea ​​urchins

Sea urchins are found mainly on the islands. They try to stay away from the shore, but sometimes they can swim to the very edge of the water. Their needles contain poison that is not so much poisonous as painful. Their needles are so thin that often you can’t even get them, they dissolve on their own over time, which causes pain.

How to avoid meeting sea ​​urchin: here the advice is simple and obvious - look under your feet when you go into the sea. In unfamiliar swimming areas, try not to step on the bottom at depth. The main rule is not to swim in muddy water, because it is in such an environment that you will not be able to see a hedgehog.

What to do after a meeting with a sea urchin: the needles remaining in the leg should be carefully removed with tweezers, and the puncture site should be disinfected. The foot must be placed in hot water for 60–90 minutes to neutralize the poison. After that, regular massages should be carried out around the damaged area so that the needles remaining inside dissolve. This is very painful, but will help heal the limb faster.

sharks

Sharks are found throughout the Adaman Sea and the Indian Ocean. In remote areas, closer to Indian Ocean There are both great white and tiger sharks. Less aggressive leopard, gray or whale sharks live off the coast chosen by tourists. However, meeting them is more of a rarity than a common occurrence. Most often, divers who dive in the open sea can see predators.

How to avoid a shark: all equipped beaches are protected by shark nets, so the main thing is to stay within the designated swimming area, and swim with caution wild beaches. If, nevertheless, you meet a shark, you must behave delicately - do not swim up to it, do not touch it, behave calmly and remain motionless.

What to do after meeting with a shark: the question is rather rhetorical. It all depends on how the meeting went. Sharks are dangerous not for their poison, but for their sharp teeth, so the most best advice here is to avoid them.

General safety rules

Of course, not many people will be able to meet the unfriendly inhabitants of the sea. To reduce these chances to zero, you should follow a few simple rules:

• Top tip - don't swim at night! It is during the dark time of the day that most marine reptiles begin to active life and swims to shore.
• Swim only in specially designated areas. These are all equipped beaches, both urban and hotel. Of course, the temptation to swim in a secluded bay, where there is no one else besides you, is great, but it is there that you can meet not the most pleasant neighbors.
• Avoid swimming where there are many rocks, reefs and corals near the entrance to the sea. It is here that snakes, sharks, as well as many poisonous fish can hide.
• If you see something in the water, don't touch it! Maybe it's just a harmless shrimp, but it's better to freeze and let the unknown marine inhabitant swim on about his business.
• Try not to swim after a storm or when the water is cloudy. Because of the sand, it can be difficult to see unexpected guests washed ashore by the waves.
• If nevertheless dangerous meeting happened - immediately go to the hospital or at least call your insurance company representative to clarify how dangerous the injury you received.

Observe these simple rules and enjoy your holiday in this beautiful and sunny country. Sea dwellers don't want to meet you either, so respect their habitats so they don't repay you for an inappropriate intrusion.

You can often hear the question “What bites in the water in Fukuoka” and I will try to answer it. Phu Quoc is primarily a place for beach holiday. Although there are enough entertainment and historical ones, they love this paradise island precisely for kilometers of beaches. At the height of the 2018 season, one could notice that many began to complain about the bite of unknown creatures in sea ​​water on different beaches. Those who stayed in hotels near the main Fukuoka beach were especially unlucky. In March - April, the water near Long Beach became cloudy and it became unpleasant to swim in it. IN clear water there was a lot of silt and suspension, but most importantly, after two or three minutes, something began to bite furiously. Suspicion fell on plankton.

Plankton

Plankton is a big problem on the beaches of Thailand, but in Vietnam this phenomenon is quite rare, so both the watchers and new vacationers were surprised. Plankton is a whole class of microscopic organisms: shrimps, crustaceans, other crustaceans and molluscs. Plankton is food for marine mammals and fish, when it becomes abundant, it presents a problem for vacationers. In fact, it is not dangerous, but for young children and people with sensitive skin, bathing becomes painful. Tourists complained that five to ten minutes after a plankton bite, red dots appear on the skin that begin to itch and itch.

What to do with plankton bites?

If you have insurance, you can see a doctor, or rather, I would advise you to see a doctor in any alarming situation, especially when it comes to the health of children. If the consequences are not so terrible, then you can treat the wound with an alcohol-containing liquid, dry it and apply an antihistamine (anti-allergy) cream or ointment. Phenergan cream is popular in Vietnam.

If you still want to swim - change the beach. At a time when the water on Long Beach was cloudy and full of jellyfish with plankton, everything was fine on the beach - clean and safe water. Fukuoka is full of beaches, so if one of them is not suitable, then the other will definitely be a tropical fairy tale.

Jellyfish

At the end of April, jellyfish were spotted on several beaches of Fukuoka at once, these are both large purple and small transparent ones. Jellyfish are also dangerous, and you should be careful in places where there are a lot of them. Jellyfish are a periodic phenomenon, like plankton. They roam from beach to beach, but only for a few months of the year. Especially they become much closer to the rainy season - from May to August.

What to do with jellyfish stings?

When biting a jellyfish, you need to be more alarmed than when biting plankton. The stinging cells in the tentacles of jellyfish contain poison, and some jellyfish in the ocean have poison that can knock big fish and kill the person. But there are no such deadly animals near Fukuoka. But those that swim can bring trouble. The burn of a jellyfish is painful and takes a long time, especially since different people reaction to poison is different. What one will bring only pinching another will pour over with violent pain. In early May, one of my friends was stung by a jellyfish, and after an hour of unsuccessful trips from the hotel staff to help her, the victim had to go to the hospital.

If the hospital is far away, then first aid should be provided on the shore. It is necessary to treat the bite site with lime juice or a weak solution of vinegar, the main thing is not to harm. After putting ice on the bite to prevent swelling from spreading further, and take a pill of suprastin or another antihistamine to prevent the development of Quincke's edema and others dangerous consequences. Do not engage in global self-treatment, consult a doctor, and do not forget about insurance, Phu Quoc is a safe place, but do not overestimate your luck.

sand fleas

It is necessary to say a few words about the "sand fleas", which also bring a share of trouble when visiting the beaches. And although they are rarely found on well-maintained beaches, one must be careful. Sand fleas are microscopic arthropods that live in wet sand. Sand fleas are slow, but unpleasant neighbors. They bite painfully, and the places of their bites bring discomfort, so that they itch and itch. The most dangerous thing about sand flea bites is the eggs that they can lay under the skin, and then a banal bite will turn into a real torment that will have to be removed surgically.

How to protect yourself from sand flea bites?

The recipes are simple - choose well-groomed beaches near hotels and resorts. This, although small, is still a guarantee that the beach is cleaned from debris and surf mud, in which fleas like to swarm. Don't sit on the sand without a pad, put a towel or blanket on it, or rent a sun lounger.

What to do with sand flea bites?

Recipes for sand flea bites are the same as for plankton bites - treat the bite site with antihistamine ointment, if the itching does not subside, consult a doctor - he will prescribe allergy pills (for example, Cetirizine) and an antibiotic to protect you from the consequences of a bite.

Plankton allergy

For the last three days, a rash has appeared on the body. Red bumps, as if bitten by a mosquito or midge. They appear in groups in the same places - the stomach, on the sides just below the armpits, under the knees, on the wrists. etc. It itches terribly and doesn't go away.

There are many options for what it could be. There are suspicions of an allergy (some kind of fruit or spice). Or here's another version - in the local seas while swimming, someone constantly pinches you, or even stings. On the forums I found the following options (orfo saved):

“We were at Karon Beach, Kata Beach, and also at Phi Phi, where the movie Beach with Lenya DiCaprio was filmed in one of the lagoons. Probably only on Phi Phi we were not bitten in the water by those freaking sea mosquitoes. “

“It seems that there is some kind of muck in the sea that burns, it’s uncomfortable to swim. The guys I knew were in Phuket - they only dived in the pool, and this phenomenon seems to be observed only in small bays, as if not on large beaches”

“I read right there on the forum that these biting creatures are none other than plankton. We swam on the beach of Rayong, they bit the bastards But everything is tolerable, and do not exaggerate, comrades "

“Some strange larvae bite. one managed to be caught off her foot while she was trying to do her dirty work. It turned out to be some kind of white twin larva with two black dots. we decided that we were being bitten by the ocean boobs! and flew out of there and no longer swam after 18.00.))))) “

“They write that they get some kind of boogers that bite in the water, but they are very small, there is no description. They bite rather painfully, traces remain, one man went to swim on Lamai because of them.

Those. the problem seems to exist, but still, apart from feelings, the unsubscribers do not have any consequences. And I have some kind of trouble - all covered with hundreds of bites and itching.

This thing does not bother anyone except me, so I'm at a loss - what could it be? Maybe I'm allergic to the sea? A good irony of fate, it would be))

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Plankton allergy

Notes on Asia from the Thai island of Phuket.

Congratulations on the start of a wonderful holiday in Phuket! Surely, the first thing you did was swim in the warm Andaman Sea? Wonderful! You say that someone bites in the sea?

Indeed, from tourists who came to rest in Phuket, you can often hear that someone is biting in the sea. Of course there are jellyfish, but jellyfish leave burns, and here we are talking about bites. Some vacationers joke and call this something sea bugs, fleas or nettles. Let's find out what bites in the Andaman Sea and is it something to be afraid of?

Think of the movie Life of Pi, which has amazingly beautiful footage before a whale jumps out of the ocean. The boy sees something shining brightly in the water at night, and he runs his hand along the sea surface, and this light spreads, dissolves and mixes with the water. This light emits marine plankton and salps.

According to Wikipedia, “salps (lat. Salpidae) are a family from the subtype of tunicates, allocated to the monotypic order Salpida, or Desmomyaria. free floating sea ​​creatures, living mainly in the surface waters of the ocean (to a depth of several hundred meters), where they sometimes form huge accumulations.

So, salps are small marine inhabitants that swim individually and in flocks. Flocks form chains, which sometimes twist into spirals. Because they live in warm water and in surface waters, they are often encountered by tourists. As a rule, vacationers do not notice them visually, because salps have a transparent elongated body, the length of which ranges from a few millimeters to 33 cm.

At night, salps are the source of an amazing soft blue glow due to the symbiotic bacteria contained in them.

Salps can sting vacationers, but be calm, because these marine inhabitants do not consider people as food. The fact is that they feed on phytoplankton and dead particles of organic origin. Salps, in turn, are food for some fish and sea turtles.

What to do if a salpa bites you?

The reaction to a bite depends on the characteristics of the human body and can be either mild, when you feel a slight tingle, or strong, when you feel pain like a burn, or an allergic reaction appears.

If the reaction is severe and even more allergic, then you should immediately contact for medical care. As a rule, antihistamines are prescribed for allergies.

As self-help measures for mild reactions, lime is used, a slice of which rubs the bite site. Some tourists talk about Fuciort ointment, but locals assure that there is nothing simpler and more reliable than lime.

As a preventive measure, use a special sunscreen, saving not only from the scorching sun, but also from the bites of small marine life (on the packaging of the cream should be indicated against jelly fish).

At first glance, it seems that salps are useless and, moreover, sea creatures that bite tourists. In fact, there is scientific evidence to prove them. important role for the life of our planet. So, Gazeta.ru writes that salps that feed on plankton, passing sea water through themselves, release a carbon dioxide absorber from upper layers ocean and lower layers atmosphere. So original way nature saves the planet from global warming. Therefore, salps are very useful.

So, now you know that in the Andaman Sea there are no sea bugs, no sea fleas, and even more so nettles. A marine life called salpa can bite you. Tourists are angry at the poor salps for the bites they received and the mood they spoiled. Salps are also not favored by fishermen for the fact that they clog into the water intake filters of ships and eat food from valuable breeds commercial fish. But, if you remember what a huge role salps play for our planet, saving it from global warming, then the complaints of tourists and fishermen will seem so insignificant!

Plankton allergy

No, well, who will touch the living corals? This is what we called him here for the placton. It's probably some kind of jellyfish. Or maybe the sea stirred up some coral particles.

That's for sure. Our uncle and his wife earn more than ours, so they travel more than ours. Already in all the seas-oceans suitable for swimming, they swam. And they still love only the Red Sea - reefs, fish and all that. No plankton will scare :))

Where is it better to buy a wetsuit in your homeland or in Egypt (SCHESH), or are there options for renting? and if for rent: how hygienic is it?)))

Well, then they are some really microscopic ones, because, feeling a burning sensation, I always looked around for a long, long time - no one was noticed nearby. More like plankton.

From jellyfish, I always have irritation on my skin, and then a burning sensation and that's it.

It's cheaper there. Is it clean for you to swim, not for diving?

“And one more representative of the animal world, which is quite often encountered by tourists who love to swim far into the sea. Surely, many who have tried to do this in the Red Sea have come across such an incomprehensible phenomenon: all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, in absolutely clear water (usually thirty to fifty meters from the shore), the body feels a burning tingling sensation, as if someone is stabbing You with thin hot needles. If this happens, do not panic, do not try to fight off an unknown prankster who decided to play with you in this way. The best thing to do is to swim back to shore as quickly as possible - you have come across a swarm of tiny, transparent crustaceans - they are called sea fleas. As a rule, their bites pass without any consequences, and only people with very delicate skin can get “urticaria”.

And they also told us about corals that release their cells, i.e. shoot with “fire”, we once felt their effect on ourselves.

Yes, it was. I thought they were tiny jellyfish that I can't see yet

Just all the described symptoms, but they were exactly near the shore, so I somehow brushed aside sea fleas: /

Rather, it's the corals you're talking about.

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I live in the suburbs. To say that I love to travel is an understatement. I love it and when I visit new cities and countries, I am charged with tremendous energy. After traveling, there are many impressions and experiences that I share with everyone with pleasure.

Who bites in the sea in Phuket?

Congratulations on the start of a wonderful holiday in Phuket! Surely, the first thing you did was swim in the warm Andaman Sea? Wonderful! You say that someone bites in the sea?

Indeed, from tourists who came to rest in Phuket, you can often hear that someone is biting in the sea. Of course there are jellyfish, but jellyfish leave burns, and here we are talking about bites. Some vacationers joke and call this something sea bugs, fleas or nettles. Let's find out what bites in the Andaman Sea and is it something to be afraid of?

Think of the movie Life of Pi, which has amazingly beautiful footage before a whale jumps out of the ocean. The boy sees something shining brightly in the water at night, and he runs his hand along the sea surface, and this light spreads, dissolves and mixes with the water. This light is emitted by marine plankton and salps.

Who are salps?

According to Wikipedia, “salps (lat. Salpidae) are a family from the subtype of tunicates, allocated to the monotypic order Salpida, or Desmomyaria. Free-swimming sea creatures, living mainly in the surface waters of the ocean (to a depth of several hundred meters), where they sometimes form huge aggregations.

So, salps are small marine inhabitants that swim individually and in flocks. Flocks form chains, which sometimes twist into spirals. Because they live in warm water and surface water, they are often encountered by tourists. As a rule, vacationers do not notice them visually, because salps have a transparent elongated body, the length of which ranges from a few millimeters to 33 cm.

At night, salps are the source of an amazing soft blue glow due to the symbiotic bacteria contained in them.

Salps can sting vacationers, but be calm, because these marine inhabitants do not consider people as food. The fact is that they feed on phytoplankton and dead particles of organic origin. Salps, in turn, are food for some fish and sea turtles.

What to do if a salpa bites you?

The reaction to a bite depends on the characteristics of the human body and can be either mild, when you feel a slight tingle, or strong, when you feel pain like a burn, or an allergic reaction appears.

If the reaction is severe and even more allergic, then you should immediately seek medical help. As a rule, antihistamines are prescribed for allergies.

As self-help measures for mild reactions, lime is used, a slice of which rubs the bite site. Some tourists talk about Fuciort ointment, but locals assure that there is nothing simpler and more reliable than lime.

As a preventive measure, use a special sunscreen that saves not only from the scorching sun, but also from the bites of small marine life (the package of the cream should indicate against jelly fish).

Is there any benefit from salps?

At first glance, it seems that salps are useless and, moreover, sea creatures that bite tourists. In fact, there is scientific evidence that proves their important role for the life of our planet. So, in Gazeta.ru, he writes that plankton-eating salps, passing sea water through themselves, emit a carbon dioxide absorber from the upper layers of the ocean and the lower layers of the atmosphere. In such an original way, nature saves the planet from global warming. Therefore, salps are very useful.

So, now you know that in the Andaman Sea there are no sea bugs, no sea fleas, and even more so nettles. A marine life called salpa can bite you. Tourists are angry at the poor salps for the bites they received and the mood they spoiled. Salps are also not favored by fishermen because they get into the water intake filters of ships and eat food from valuable species of commercial fish. But, if you remember what a huge role salps play for our planet, saving it from global warming, then the complaints of tourists and fishermen will seem so insignificant!