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sea fleas


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Has anyone else encountered the mutant Tamaki River "sea fleas" that live in the growth on the bottom of your hull?

 

While at anchor I cleaned the area around a transducer and the little bast**ds bit me. I didn't feel it at the time but they itch like nothing else for days.

 

Much smaller than sea lice, more like the size of a flea.

 

Note to self to use a rash shirt or wet suit probably better.

 

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Those "life of the party" types that study these things reckon it isn't the Sea Lice that cause the problem. They reckon the lice don't bite us. Although I personally disagree. Instead, they reckon it is the venom from tiny baby jellyfish that cause the problem. However, I know that those lice do indeed bite and have one heck of a decent nip that makes you move quick. As soon as you stop, they start nipping.

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They are not limited to the Tamaki, anytime i've cleaned that slime my wetsuit is always covered in the critters, to me they look a like a miniature shrimp.  The really nasty Sea Lice always seemed to live at the warm waters edge, a zone to be avoided as kids. Infestations of Microscopic NoSeeUm Jelly Fish are a problem sometimes, if you get hit by those you are in for an uncomfortable few days, Antihistamine helps.

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