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Snorkeling Bonaire: Urchins
Bonaire Talk: Snorkeling Bonaire: Archives: Archive 2001- 2007: Archives - 2006-03-01 to 2006-12-31: Urchins
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carl Pflanzer (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #317) on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 5:47 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Has anyone stepped on sea urchins with dive/snorkel boots? I am wondering if they can penetrate the hard rubber soles... I had one heckuva difficult exit trying to maneuver around them assuming that they could at one particular site...

C

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Johnson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #202) on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 9:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have never done it on purpose but I suspect I have accidently. But the boots can make all of the difference -- mine are very heavy duty cold water booties. At Karpata I have had thorn penetrate less durable booties.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4706) on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 10:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Carl, YES they can! I had a friend during my first trip to Bonaire that had one go right through her hard soled bootie and into her foot on an exit at Red Slave.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Barbara Gibson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #143) on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 10:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ok, NOT snorkeling, but Eric had a too close encounter in Lac Bay. He asked the guy if there was anything he should avoid stepping on as he was renting widsurfing equipment, and the fellow said no, nothing at all.
Hours later He came hobbling to the car. He said he had landed on urchins every time he got off the board. When he remarked on it at the rental place, the guy said something like "Oh, yeah, the Bonairean White Spined Death Urchins...I forgot about those!".
I whiled away a certain mount of time thereafter. pulling spines from Eric's feet with a pair of pliers. Actually, I got grossed out after a while and he had to pull them himself. Poor guy!
The windsurf guy happened to be an international competitor, probably hadn't dismounted in the water for years!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Grasshopper (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #19377) on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 10:03 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Barbara...poor Eric! Mary Mueller's son stepped on a few windsurfing...the bottom of his foot looked painful! She got a lot of them out, but I think the rest had to "work" their way out...he was a trouper though and just hobbled and didn't complain...ahh...to be 16 again...lol!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By jenny (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #230) on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 2:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

While snorkeling in Key West a few years ago, I slipped off a rock while wearing full-footed fins. There was an urchin on the side of the rock & the spines went through the heel of my fin, and into my foot. I waited a day, soaking my foot in hot water & trying to remove the spines with tweezers, but the next morning I had to go to the emergency room because I was in so much pain & I couldn't bend my leg. I had to get x-rays, tetanus shots, & a gigantic antibiotic needle. The doctor removed two spines from my heel, but one of the spines lodged itself right on top of my achilles tendon. he was afraid to remove that one, for fear that he might damage the achilles tendon. So I had to wait for it to grow out. I could barely walk for a month & the spine finally came to the surface of the skin after two months.

Needless to say... I am very careful of stepping on sea urchins now - even with my hard soled booties.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4185) on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 3:56 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Carl, Yes, they sure can! My Brandon at age two had little water shoes on he stepped on one that was not even whole, just spines in the sand I believe and they did go through, we thought we had them out and he seemed to be o.k., but walked kinda funny, when we got home, I took him to a foot specialist, they had to operate to remove the little spine still under deep in his little foot! He also told me they don't show up on x-rays either, to say the least he was the hit of the operating room here in Jersey as it is not everyday that they remove a sea urchin spine! Sure am glad he doesn't remember that as he was only two at the time! I also worry about them as I like the softer sole bootie and rest of family has the harder ones, I am very careful where I step since then. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By jenny (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #234) on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 7:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sea urchin spines most definitely show up on an x-ray. I saw the x-rays of my foot & they were there. The spine is mostly composed of calcium carbonate - same thing as our bones - so there's no reason why they shouldn't show up. I'm sure it was an exciting surgery for the Jersey doctors! Poor Brandon... but at least he doesn't remember :-)

Here's a DAN page about sea urchins:

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=34

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4187) on Friday, September 8, 2006 - 11:25 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Uh, Jenny, they didn't show up on the x-ray, I was there, maybe had something to do with it being a piece of one that has been dead a long time, we had no idea what was in his foot till it came out after the operation. I will read what you have posted about sea urchins.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4188) on Friday, September 8, 2006 - 11:34 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I read the article from DAN and it said this: Spine fragments may infrequently be revealed on x-rays of the joint or tendon. That goes to show you it is not "always" seen. In my son's little foot, it was not seen and nope, can't remember where it was actually located in it as that was quite some time ago, just know it didn't show on x-ray at that time. I was just glad they found it and got it out.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By jenny (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #235) on Friday, September 8, 2006 - 11:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Oh my bad - from what you said, I thought the doctors didn't even bother doing an x-ray, because they thought there was no way it would show up. I didn't want others to think they didn't need an x-ray, in case they were somewhere where the doctors didn't know anything about it. that's all. in my case, it showed up on my tendon, but they were big spines since i slipped down the rock with some force. I'm glad your son is ok - i know how painful it is.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4193) on Friday, September 8, 2006 - 12:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jenny, no problem! Very interesting article, thanks for posting it. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Gillan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #227) on Saturday, September 9, 2006 - 10:54 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sea Urchin Heaven.

This thread is an interesting discussion on sea urchin spines. If you want a treat to see the amazing engineering of nature, study the morphology/structure of a whole sea urchin spine and the knob-like housing on the exoskeleton. Each spine has a uniquely shaped convex indentation that sits on a concave process. This creates a turret with angular rotation in 3D. Each spine has these "ball and socket" structures and can be easily observed and understood how they move on a living urchin.

But the engineering is even more interesting when magnified with a hand lens, dissecting or microscope. The shaft of each spine is corrugated for strength. The composition of the material allows for easy breakaway from sideways pressure so that the animal is not injured. But head-on, the tip is designed for maximum strength and protection (and penetration). Ouch.

Maybe this long enough, but biology-crazy folks like me want to know how these spines grow and replace themselves. Inside the shaft of the spines, osteoblast (osteo = bone, blast = build) cells construct and grow out similar to hair and fur. The entire exoskeleton is also built by these osteoblasts into the doomed structure (think VW beetle) for form and function. You can see and test these ideas with a "Get the Point" field trip to Sea Urchin Heaven, a small beach (littoral line) on Bonaire's southeast coast near the green obelisk (50-100 meters south).

Sea Urchin Heaven is a magical mystery tour all by itself. It is a place for curosity and courage. Depending on the tides, currents, waves, and wind, it can be adventurous and rewarding. A good place for footwear! The "beach" is loaded with interesting coral sand, driftwood fragments, shells, all kinds of skeletal remains of sea organisms, and of course, an amazing number of sea urchin spines and exoskeletons. It is interesting to match an urchin spine on the turret housing as discussed earlier, rotating the spine on a top of the knob. You can test the tensil strength of the spine with sideways pressure and head-on (get the point) pressure. Since most of these spines are worn down it is less likely to puncture your skin.

There are lots of fun artifacts to just make you think about what's under the sea and what comes to Bonaire's coastline from across the Atlantic. It is always interesting to think why obelisks are there and and how they were/are used. This is also a good place to see the sea crash into the coastline too. Not a good place for swimming though. Great place for kids of all ages.

Let me know if you get there and get the point.

Bud














 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Helene Trudeau (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 1:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

This is my first post...

I will be on Bonaire in December and I will only be snorkeling. I am having the most difficult time finding booties that have hard soles yet fit inside my fins...any specific ones you can recommend???

Thanks for your help !!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cecil (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5044) on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 1:29 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Welcome to BT Helene.

Helene we always recommend hard soles because we have all had sore feet. The reality is soft soles do work just not as well. I'll be diving Bonaire next month with soft soles. So in the short term get some booties that fit your fins. You might want to change them down the road but they should get you by in the short term.

It's not the urchins that are the big problem, they have a tendency to hide during the day. It's actually the ironstone/rubble shoreline that's toughest on the feet.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Johnson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #209) on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 1:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Helene:

I have found that fairly beefy hard soled boots work best. They protect against the iron shore and any stray urchins. You pretty much need to have larger sized open heeled fins to use with them.

One advantage of just the snorkel set-up (vs. SCUBA) is that it is much easier to maneuver in close to shore.

The Carib Inn does stock some decent booties and cheaper open heeled fins. So, if you can't find something that works that is always an option.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Angela de Weger (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #102) on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 2:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Helene, welcome to Bonaire Talk!
I know what you mean, when snorkeling I always had a lot of problems with the stones hurting my feet when going in and out of the water. I bought the perfect boots on Bonaire at Carib Inn for about USD 35.00. They are selling different brands. Have fun on Bonaire!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mara Mara on the wall (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #752) on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 3:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey Angela - off topic but how's your back?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Angela de Weger (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #103) on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 3:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Getting better and better, thanks for asking Mara Mara! Saw my therapist today. At least I can walk again without bending over. There is still pain, but I have even worked today a 50 pct shift at the airport. Don't feel so helpless anymore, LOL!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cecil (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5050) on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 3:29 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Nice to hear, Angela.

You're new mantra.

No reinjury.
No reinjury.
No reinjury.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Angela de Weger (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #104) on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 3:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cecil, I will print that text!

No reinjury, have to go to Bonaire in a few weeks.
No reinjury, have to go to Bonaire in a few weeks.
No reinjury, have to go to Bonaire in a few weeks.

Can't believe we will miss eachother again on island.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Helene Trudeau (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 2:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

My second post...First thank you for the super fast response and great advice...now..bootie question...(the kind that go on your feet LOL)
3mm vs 5mm and high cut vs low cut. I am always cold and will be wearing a 3mm suit to snorkel in...if I go with low bootie, will there be expose skin near my ankle ???

Also...I want to offer to bring "stuff" needed for anyone on Island...I will be there Dec. 11
Let me know...

Thanks again
Helene

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Gould (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #637) on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 6:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Helene,
keep your ankles covered for protection from scrapes and critters. AND THE SUN!! lol... Ron

 


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