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WITH LARGE CROWDS expected on beaches in the coming days, and spring tides on the way too, Irish Water Safety has taken the opportunity to warn bathers about the dangers posed by a small fish that carries an excruciating sting.
The weever fish generally buries itself in sand during the day, and can cause a painful sting if disturbed. They like warm water and clean sand, IWS’s John Leech said, as he took to Morning Ireland this week to advise beach-goers of the creature’s presence.
“It’s when the beach is totally exposed and when the children are down playing there – that’s when people are most at risk,” Leech said.
And we’ve spring tides at the weekend because on Tuesday we’ve a new Moon – and that means with so many people on the beaches over the bank holiday weekend we’re likely to get some stings, so we’re trying to raise awareness to keep people off the beaches from swimming about an hour to two hours either side of low water.
Venom
Parents should make sure their children are wearing flip-flops or other footwear if playing on recently-covered sand, he said. If you do happen to get stung, contacting the lifeguard on duty – if there is one – should be your first course of action.
Otherwise:
What you’d normally do is put your foot into water, about 40 degrees or so, to try and draw out the venom out of the wound where you’ve been stung and to increase the blood circulation.
The sting can cause anaphylactic shock or an allergic reaction for some, and sufferers may require antihistamines, Leech added.
A syringe can also be used to take the poison from the wound.
The weever fish is known to have caused one death in England in 1927, he said – but in that case the person suffered from multiple stings.
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I’ve had a weever give my foot a tickle a few times in my life. It’s no joke.
I’d be more worried about getting hyperthermia at the beach this weekend than being bitten by some poor little fish
Swim in jelly sandals, and look before you sit down!
Could have done with that advice 15 odd years ago. Busting for a pee in the car, my dad pulled over, I darted into the forest yanked my trousers down (behind a tree) squatted and sat of a flecking nettle.
Akin to a weaver fish tickle.
Lily……It’s a lot more painful that nettles and it ain’t no tickle.
“Should a bather step on a weever fish then the pain is excruciating as the spines embed into the human flesh and discharge their poison.
The pain is at its most intense for the first two hours when the foot normally goes red and swells up, and then it may feel numb until the following day with irritation and pain that may last for up to two weeks.”
http://afloat.ie/safety/marine-warning/item/33169-venomous-weever-fish-sting-swimmers-beach-users-beware
Jasus! Jelly sandals…the most excruciating foot wear ever.
@lily Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman…
Had one of these sting me as a kid – my Dad who’d spent some time working in tropical places had the presence of mind to suck the poison from my rapidly swelling toe (and spit it out obvs!) which kept toe from getting any bigger than about the size of a snooker ball, swelling and pain lasted a good 24 hours – the pain is still something I can remember vividly – these lads are no joke I can tell you!!
Yer dad watched too many cowboy & Indian movies…
Sounds a bit like the nanny state/media….stay at home this weekend there are so many dangers out there and as Teresa Mannion advised…DON’T MAKE UNNCESSARY JOURNEYS!
Yeah totally: Screw those do gooders pointing out risks to us. Who the hell do they think they are helping, and warning people. I hope someone helps them out, helps them out real good and see how they like it then!
Facepalm
Oh come on dude don’t do the facepalm on me I can’t take the pain, There are millions of dangers out there besides standing on an unfortunate weever fish going about his life contentedly this weekend…it’s called evolution you know…mammy and daddy mind you to a certain age then hopefully they gently guide you towards the front door so you can face the big bad world without them, using that big brain and a lot of cop on. You have statistically much more chance of breaking a limb on a Trampoline this weekend but that warning is getting boring at this stage so who wants to know.
Jesus Winston, just give up and go back to bed
Winston I’m afraid your view of the world is a tad simple and outdated. Maybe you should get out more, ever tried the beach?
@@Winston
Your post sounds like common sense…………but you’re posting on the Journal.ie. Common sense is not welcome.
Ger you lack common sense.
@FF/..
You’re probably right. If I had any sense, I should be ignoring your comment.
I think you made a good comeback there, Winston.
I’ll stay at home in my box then.
We are safe the article said CLEAN sand and WARM water..we swim in sludge in Ireland
You are meant to fill up your paddling pool with water not sludge
I am survivor of double weever fish attack… Stung like hell and was very painful to walk offer some time… Had my legs in two buckets of hot weather with some remedy made by lifeguards… So many people came to me saying that that never seen anyone beeing stung in both feet… I guess when you lucky you lucky ;-)
Bit of advice when you feel sharp pain and than numbness seek help!
Eh when fish is just lying there minding it’s own business and you stsnd on it… it’s NOT AN ATTACK. :)
When was the last person in Ireland to be stung by a weever fish ??????
Last weekend a young girl was stung by one
My dad, 2 weeks ago. Co Waterford beach.
My 79yo Dad, 2 weeks ago. Co. Waterford beach…
Leever Weevers alone
The Weever Song ;)
There’s something happening here
But what it is ain’t exactly clear
There’s a weever fish over there
I got to beware
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
Step out of line, the men come and take you away
We better stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?
I was walking down to the beach one day and I spotted the lifeguard helping a guy with his foot in a bucket. We laughed it off. 5 mins later I was the one with my foot in the bucket of hot water. You know when you get pins and needles in your leg or foot and can’t put your foot down. Multiply that by 50.
The article is wrong ” surprise surprise for the Journal” putting you foot in hot water denatures the venom so the sooner you do it the sooner the pain stops. The weaver fish have always been there it’s just there are more people taking to the water
No just more journalists have discovered a new scare story… Next week seagulls and the week after False Widow Spiders
Let’s hope the lifeguards all have kettles or flasks of hot water so!
Put vinegar on sting and it will cure it
Warm water (the hotter the better) rinses away the toxins.
Don’t listen to trolls, never have 0 sources for their waffle
CAN YOU EAT THEM?
Flat 7up sorts it. If that fails try chicken soup.
It would be worse for those who sit on the sand while messing about in the water?
At least here isn’t as bad as the US…
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/06/21/mans-leg-amputated-after-contracting-unidentified-flesh-eating-bacteria-at-texas-beach.html
Got stung by a jelly fish while swimming in Malta… Dreadful pain
I’m gonna need a bigger boat.
Beeches in this weather? Give me a break
Seriously how many incidents have there been to merit an article in the Journal?
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