Panama, sea lice ship worms?

[sailabroad]

Does anyone know the real name of the white crawling parasites that infect the hull vegetation in Panama?

Yesterday I cleaned the waterline from the dingy and by the time I was finished I was covered in these sea lice? If that's what they are called?

Im dreading having to clean the hull and prop and being underwater for the time it will take.

Some one here said that I should only clean wearing a wetsuit and ear plugs, does anyone know more? Thnks

[Steadman Uhlich]

Hi.
From your description and location, I first suspect some species of amphipod. There are thousands (9,900) differnt species of marine amphipods. They are generally scavengers, and crawl on rocks and marine vegetation. Most are very tiny, some are considerably larger (up to 34 centimeters or 13 inches long).

I don't think you should worry about them, but if you feel uneasy with the thought of them crawling on your head, you could do the following while swimming around them or cleaning your hull:

Pull a woman's nylon stocking over your head to cover your ears and hair. (Simple, cheap, keeps the critters out of your hair and ears). That is what I would do.

More on Amphipods:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphipoda

By the way, "Sea Lice" or a "Sea Louse" is actually a different kind of animal, small, but different (they live on fish). But, local names may be similar or same.

Hope that helps.

[sailabroad]

Yes, thanks

[Scot McPherson]

when I clean my hull in the long island sound, there are these strange critters living in the algae and muck that's grown on the hull...even if it's just a thin skin of fouling. I don't know what they are called but they look like little monsters.

The looks of them makes me believe they are arthropodae, but they look a tiny version of the xenomorph face parasite.

[zeehag]

KRILL aka brine shrimp are plentiful and occupy most of our waters. to prevent these critters form stinging you, wear a wetsuit or lycra cuit or hire someone else to do the work.
there is a white worm looking thing that is actually a coral cousin... and there ar eteredo worms as well. teredos donot bother humans but eat the hell out of wood anythings underwater.
the coralish worm looking thing is part of bottom growth on west coast from lost angels to south of zihuat.. cannot vouch for further as i have yet to get there.

[pesarsten]

I like the stocking idea! I'm going to try that, as an added bonus, I can pop up next to someone else's boat and scare the crap out of them!

[barnakiel]

There is also something called Pomatoceros. Looks like small white tubes/tunnes. Very invasive. If you have some on departure from Canaries you arrive plastered (I mean it - completely) to the West Indies.

Cheers,
b.