Planning to head down the my old stomping grounds on the Cen Coast over the summer break and was keen to hit Tuggerah Lakes for a sail. I've never sailed down that way before but I remember as a kid having fun with the pelican itch in the lakes. Are the lakes still itch city, and if so, what do you guys do to deal with it- if anything?
Cheers
Hi Phil,
I've sailed there a bit this year and have not experienced the itch. There is the same warning at Narrabeen Lake and I have not contracted it there either. If you sail at Canton Beach make sure you use a weed fin.
I was sailing there yesterday.. I've never had trouble with any thing like that..This is the first I've heard of it?
If you can get is in a W through to SW its brilliant!
I have a itch to get back in the water ,
Haven't saiked for 5 weeks. !!!!!!
Did the weed magically disappear ?
Last time I was there it was out of control !!
Sounds like the pelican itch problem has gone. Use to be really bad-I'm talking 30 years ago. Basically if you went for a swim you had to accept the fact you'd get bite by the little buggers. If you're wondering what they are read on-
"Pelican Itch is the common name given to a skin irritation caused by the marine parasite Bilharzia (Austrobilharzia terrigalensis). The parasite occurs from Fraser Island in Queensland to the Victorian border and is common in Narrabeen Lagoon in the summer months when the water temperature exceeds 24 degrees Celsius.
The parasite has a complex lifecycle and lives some of the time in the marine snail Batillaria australis. During the parasite's 'larval' stages, the larvae leave the snail and swim about looking for warm-blooded animals - generally birds such as seagulls, however, swimmers are not immune. If the parasite comes in contact with a human, it will burrow under the skin and eventually die, causing an itch. If not scratched and infected, the lesions normally recede and disappear after two to three weeks.
If you, or your family are affected by pelican itch, a doctor or chemist will be able to assist with management of the rash and pain relief. The existence of pelican itch in Narrabeen Lagoon is a natural phenomenon and opening the lagoon more frequently would not assist the situation."
I feel itchy just reading that... Anyway, glad they're not a problem anymore. Hope there's some wind during my stay
They will give you a cream that is the same as used for SCABIES. Kills those little buggers but you are just wanting to scratch your legs off!
They will be in the lake soon. Seem to be worst at the drop of point so try not to fall at this point. Some people swear by a anti histamine befor sailing to reduce severity of attack.
BE WARNED![}:)]
From reading up on this some time back I learnt that the little fckrs actually lay an egg in the bite and the thing is growing In your skin, hence why the itch lasts for so long.
It's funny (sort of...) as I typed the initial question I was dealing with around 50 bites of pelican itch from my local lake. My last session (yesterday) saw me fair chewed up and the bites have been humming sweetly for 24 hrs so far. I may be wrong and it's not pelican itch, but something fair chewed me up in the water and it feels just as crap as I remember growing up on Tuggerah Lakes. In a few days the bites should settle down to a dull roar...
Never had any problems from sailing that I can remember although I seem to recall 'sea lice' causing problems in Lake Macquarie as a kid. Are they the same?
