Urchin Trials and Tribulations

Sea Urchins (sometimes referred to as Sea Hedgehogs) are small, spiked and globelike animals which live on the ocean floor and are part of the Echinoderm phylum-- the same as Sea Stars, Sea Cucumbers, Crinoids and Brittle Stars. Throughout our groups diving experience in the Indian Ocean during Fiona Ayerst's Underwater Photography Internship in Mozambique, we noticed these little critters were everywhere-- and I mean EVERYWHERE.

The thing about these urchins is-- their spines are super sharp at the tip and thin enough to even pierce through a wetsuit... So as a diver, you most likely want to avoid them. However, sometimes close encounters with the spiked kind is inevitable and once you become impaled-- you can never pull out their skewers. 

Why? Because under any amount of outside pressure placed on them, the sea urchins spikes are so brittle that they immediately crush up and fall apart into itty bitty pieces after they have already wedged themselves into your skin. Some prime examples of urchin insertion displayed below.

And humans aren’t the only ones getting impaled either…

This fella actually swam right up to us while on a Manta dive with Guinjata Dive Centre. Both Meg and I were surprised at the turtles curiosity and didn't even notice the urchin spike until afterwards while editing.

You’re probably wondering by now, ‘How DOES one get these painful urchin spikes to vanish from ones body?’

Well, you simply beat them out. You do this by...

Step 1) Obtaining a spoon

Step 2) Beating on 'spiked' area

Step 3) Continuing until left with only blood and bruising

That’s right, folks, to eliminate these tiny impalements one must beat the minute purple spears within your flesh into a powder (using a kitchen utensil such as a spoon) which will eventually disintegrate into your bloodstream and vanish. All that will be left is the temporary bruising (and sometimes a little blood) from said beatings. 

Tella ridding her thigh of urchin spines...

...as Cullen photographs the process in style.

However, as I recently discovered, another method would be to take a towel soaked with vinegar and place it on the wound after letting it soak in hot water as well, as described in the How To Treat A Urchin Sting wikiHow link here: http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-a-Sea-Urchin-Sting

But that’s for sissies, and this is Africa.
…Also, none of us thought to research that method either.

And now you know!

Photo credit to: Meg Staudacher and Kendall Baker.
And thank you to all those 'urchined' for allowing me to document the outcome of their urchin encounters!