Boards and Bluebottles

Last weekend saw my first surfing related injury. We went out on Sunday afternoon on our new boards (we finally bought our own last week - 7' 6" fibreglass mini mals) and I was only in the water for about 10 mins before I was stung by a bluebottle.

The evil bastard itself

Never mind the sharks, the sodding bluebottle sting hurt like hell! I felt it all around my left knee in an instant when walking about with my board in the low tide. I had seen a few in the deeper water but thought nothing of it as you usually do see some. But this time it must have been under the water pushed down by the surf. When I looked at my knee all I could see was this bluey string all around it.

By the time I had fled the water, the sting had fallen off and I was just left with the pain. Martinette took me back to her place where I hopped straight in the shower, still in my wetsuit, to wash my leg with warm water (apparently the best treatment). About ten minutes after the sting, horrible blister type welts had formed where the stings had been and my leg felt like it was on fire. It felt like you had about 3inch think deep heat on there but worse!

Today, the day after, the blisters have gone and I'm left with red stratch-like marks that are still tender to touch. And these little suckers appear in volume 6 of 120 volumes of things that will hurt, maim or kill you horribly in Australia.