Beach Spider?

[mikecat adjuster]

When I'm out snorkeling, I sometimes feel a tinge of pain and look, expecting to see a jelly fish. I quite often see nothing resembling a jelly fish and figure it must be the kind that is small, like the little ones with the purple dot or something. I also wonder if it isn't just a tintical that was dropped off from one.

Anyway, I had friends visiting and was sitting with them in the shalows, when I had the same sensation and immediately went to my arms to remove the inflicting aggressor. That's when my friend said, "a spider", and sure enough, there was a little object on my arm, somewhat reddish, that was crawling, just like a spider. (It's size was that of what a tick would be.)

Well, I swashed it away and had another bite me just after. It felt the same as what I've experienced when I think a small jelly fish is getting me out there by the second sandbar. I'm wondering if this little organism doesn't stick itself to grass and then bites when it contacts something. Just thought I'd inquire.

Also, I've still been seeing some cool sharks, one yesterday though, was not a nurse shark and seemed to be interested in what I was. I also saw a sea turtle in the seaside area, which was nice. I got my underwater camera back from Olympus, but then had to send off my battery charger and battery for them to look at too. It has been tough not having a camera to get the footage I'm seeing, but... soon, I hope.

Someone let me know about the spider thingie. Thanks.

 

[ASH]

I tried googling and found nothing. I am curious now too what it was.

 

[mikecat adjuster]

I just googled 'water spider' and found a few things, but I'm about to walk out the door. Apparently some of them live in air bubbles under the water. But like I said, I didn't spend much time surfing the web. None of the pics I saw looked like the culprit however.

I'm glad someone else, the people with me, at least saw it. Hopefully someone else comes across this thread with a little knowledge of it. I'd think so, with all the local experience we have around here.

 

[Walton Outdoors]

sea spiders

When I'm out snorkeling, I sometimes feel a tinge of pain and look, expecting to see a jelly fish. I quite often see nothing resembling a jelly fish and figure it must be the kind that is small, like the little ones with the purple dot or something. I also wonder if it isn't just a tintical that was dropped off from one.

Anyway, I had friends visiting and was sitting with them in the shalows, when I had the same sensation and immediately went to my arms to remove the inflicting aggressor. That's when my friend said, "a spider", and sure enough, there was a little object on my arm, somewhat reddish, that was crawling, just like a spider. (It's size was that of what a tick would be.)

Well, I swashed it away and had another bite me just after. It felt the same as what I've experienced when I think a small jelly fish is getting me out there by the second sandbar. I'm wondering if this little organism doesn't stick itself to grass and then bites when it contacts something. Just thought I'd inquire.

Also, I've still been seeing some cool sharks, one yesterday though, was not a nurse shark and seemed to be interested in what I was. I also saw a sea turtle in the seaside area, which was nice. I got my underwater camera back from Olympus, but then had to send off my battery charger and battery for them to look at too. It has been tough not having a camera to get the footage I'm seeing, but... soon, I hope.

Someone let me know about the spider thingie. Thanks.

[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_spider]Sea spider - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

 

[MaryAnne]

That spider thingie is creepy looking. I'd been dancing a jig if I saw that crawling up my arm!

 

[Dia]

?????

Andy and Virg's pycnogonid and marine insect ID

 

[ASH]

I saw these sea spiders, but Mike said it was a very small spider. Perhaps it the juvenile version of these. I'll have to go read up on them to see if they'd bite people.

 

[ASH]

Sea spider - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This type is not in the Atlantic Ocean. We gotta keep looking.

 

[Walton Outdoors]

I've gotten bitten

I've gotten bitten by these little critters in Key West while snorkeling. I'm surprised Mike actually saw it. It's a feeling as though you are getting a little nip by something, but, when you turn around, you can't see where it came from and it drives you nuts! Common in the southern Caribbean waters of the Gulf of Mexico. I've never seen one actually stick to me. Bleck!

 

[mikecat adjuster]

Yep, it's a tiny thing. A man I spoke to today said it is actually not a spider, that it was a beach ----, and no kidding he got a phone call after the word beach, and said it was gonna be a long call so I moved along.

So, it is a mystery still. And every time I get the stinging sensation in the depths, who knows, maybe sometimes it's a strand from a jelly fish, sometimes this mystery spider thingie. But for sure, when I was in the shallows, it was the spider thingie.

Like Lori said, you normally look back and see nothing at all. I only saw it near the shore. I'm sure we'll find out exactly what it is soon.

Btw, people remark on me finding some great wildlife when I'm out on my adventures, but get a load of this. I've been finding some great pairs of shoes recently, with many that fit me perfectly. They seem to be gathered by the stairs leading to and from the beach. I don't know how they get wash up or get deposited in that given location, but...

Just joshin' bout that one.