Malta Dangers of the Deep: Sea Urchins

Now these critters are a pain.  Especially when you stand on them, as I have done on too many occasions to mention.  You will find these spiky black balls of misery liberally scattered among and on the rocks just under the sea, and if you are actively hunting them out then you will be able to fill your nets along the rocky beaches of Sliema and St Julian’s.  Apparently some people eat the insides of these chaps, although I’ve not tried them myself.  Besides, the inside of them being tasty does not adequately compensate for the outside of them being painful.

I have had contact with the outside of various sea urchins, generally when clambering from sea to rocky shore, or on one particularly painful occasion, when swimming along and managing to kick one of the little fellows, thus wedging a 2cm spike in my toe.  That was sore.

 

Important note: buy diflucan 100mg  don’t try to remove the 2cm spike by rummaging around with a safety pin.  Especially not if said pin is in the hands of a person whose nervous system is not being prodded.  You will get the spike out eventually, but it’s not a fun activity.  A much better system is to gently scrape off the skin over where the spine has gotten stuck, and (also gently) squeeze the affected area until it pops right up.  It’s actually pretty satisfying when that happens.

Best practice is to go and invest in some swim-shoes if you plan on bathing anywhere where underwater rocks are a feature.  This will save you no end of discomfort, and is more than worth the slightly unsettling sensation that people are smirking at you as you gingerly pick your way over the stones.

More Dangers of the Deep here.