Hi, Today I was swimming in the river Ouse, Nth Bedfordshire, UK as I do every summer but this time something stung me on the water. Attached is the pic. Ankle and back of knee. I felt both stings very clearly and painful enough for me to say “ow” out loud and want to get out of the water. The white bumps came up immediately. 4 hours later they faded to red dots but the burning is still very intense. Any ideas on what it could be? Bit concerned, very curious. Glad it was me and not my kids. Many thanks. Sarah
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Hi
Having read Sarah’s correspondence above regarding being stung while in the river Ouse, this afternoon I experienced a sting that sounds very similar, while swimming in the river Breamish (North Northumberland). I was stung on the hand and it felt similar to wasp stings and appeared as a red rash with white spots in the centre of each red sting. What I felt was soft and had it been in the sea, I’d have said it was a jelly fish texture. 2 hours later the rash has faded but the area that was stung, is still quite sore. The pool we were swimming in had a slow moving current, was about 6ft deep and is a pool we have swum in many times before. I had my wife and children with me and am curious as to what it was. If anyone can throw any light on the situation, I’d be most grateful and it might be easier to coax the family back into the river, knowing what it was!?
Many thanks
Ian
Hi Ian, I’m sorry to hear you got stung. We never really did figure out what it was that stung Sarah. Did you take any photos of the rash on your hand? Tom
Hi Tom
I didn’t take any photos of the rash but it was redder than the rash on Sarah’s ankle appeared. This morning the rash has faded but I’d describe the stung area on my hand as feeling like a nettle sting. I wondered whether there might be a plant that would cause such a sting?
Ian
That looks like nettle stings, it’s a water plant.
Hi Robin, thank you for your response. I can’t find an aquatic plant called stinging nettle. Can you email to me a source of info for that? Thank you!! Tom of AskaNaturalist
Hi, I experienced the exact same song yesterday when swimming at Hever Castle. Slow moving water in the river part. Something stung me on my arm and it was instantly painful. Like a nettle sting but worse. I had raised white lumps like Sarah instantly, which faded within minutes to a red slightly raised area. A similar size and shape to a human bite! The area remained very painful for approx 12 hrs. Not painful to touch but touching it increased the associated tingling. 24 hrs later still aware of the area and strange sensation when it’s touched. It did not spread in any way.
Interested in this as I took my daughter swimming in the Ouse in st Neots this weekend and she had this happen to her also, with a nettle like rash appearing on her wrist and leg. I was wondering whether a stinging nettle has been chopped down and was in the water although I didn’t see one.
This happened to me this evening. My dog jumped In the river and couldn’t get out. I went in and walked him to a safe place to exit . It wasn’t deep ( he is a pug) I felt a plant like object catch on my foot then my leg. It felt quite prickly and I felt an instant sting in several places. I moved it with my fingers which then felt like they had been stung. The welts have gone done but the sensation is immense. This happened at 5:30 pm and it’s now 9:20 pm . Would be interesting to see what caused it .