How can you tell if summer has arrived !! Well normally the sun shines, the days are longer, and you may even think about going into the sea without a wetsuit (almost!!!). But for me it is the return of the Weever Fish.
For those that dont know, please allow me to explain. These are small fish no bigger than the size of your palm, although they can grow up to a foot or so in length when they reach adulthood. But it is when they are young that you need to be weary. When the sea water warms up they sit submerged apart from there heads in the shallows more often than not at low tide, it is here they take advantage of the warmer shallow water and to seek protection from formidable predators in the deeper water. Whats the problem I hear you think. Well when you stand on a Weever you may well be mistaken to think that you have possibly trod on something sharp, abroken shell perhaps or the like. You pull your foot up for inspection and you may find a very small puncture wound like a pin prick and a small amount of blood. No problem you think and you continue. Then you start to feel a slight burning, more annoying than anything else.Another 5 minutes passes and its starting to distract you from the waves that you are catching, from 10 minutes in your starting to think this is getting really bad your foot is consumed with what feels like your foot is now on fire.And you need to get it sorted out. Ive been coaching surfing for 9 years and surfing for 12 years and I have been stung maybe a dozen times or so. And after a while you build up a tolerance to the toxins.
The good news is………your not going to die.(Not unless your allergic to the toxins) If you put the part of the body that got stung in very hot water, and I do mean very hot water, it will nutralise the toxins and the relief is almost instantaneous. Weever fish stings can range from mild to severe ive seen children not really worry about them, then again ive seen grown men crying like babies. It depends on how many spines punctured your skin (they have 3) how long it was from when you first got stung to when you recieved treatment, and finally how hard you are.
They say your not a true surfer untill you get stung by a Weever. Just a word of advice be warned if you ever feel the need to go skinny dipping be carefull what part of you, you put on the sand that could definetly bring tears to your eyes. Anyhow down at the academy in Perranporth we are on victim number 12 so time for a few more before the summers out. I got asked the questiuon the other day, would it ever stop me from surfing……………………………Yeah Right!!!!!!!!!