Here are some basic first aid tips in case you have an incident down under.
When diving, it is always advised to avoid touching anything – not only for the preservation of underwater environments, but for your own safety. You never know what you will encounter so it’s important to be aware of your surroundings. While diving is a truly magical experience and most marine creatures are docile, there is the possibility that you could accidentally touch or startle them and unknowingly turn into a threat, resulting in a painful and possibly serious injury.
This serves as a brief guide to help you manage incidents with hazardous marine life. As this is not a comprehensive or exhaustive list, please refer to a first aid book. If you find yourself in a situation where you have been injured by an unknown animal, seek medical attention immediately.
For a list of emergency contact numbers, refer to the Fitness & Insurance section.
Territorial at times, these beautiful fish are not aggressive. However, their long spines do contain pain-inducing venom. Accidents usually occur when you put your hand into a crevice or aren’t paying attention to hand placement while exploring a reef. Lionfish particularly enjoy the shelter of an overhang, making them difficult to spot.
With razor-sharp teeth, moray eels conceal a mean bite that will bleed profusely, often leading to infection. Capable of growing two to three metres in length, moray eels look more aggressive than they really are. They can be territorial and do not enjoy being bothered.
If accidentally stepped on, stingrays can cause agonising pain. The sting can cause deep lacerations and profuse bleeding. Characteristically non-combative, they rest on or near the bottom of the sea so they can submerge themselves in the sand. If given the chance, a ray will swim away. To avoid stepping on one, shuffle your feet to warn of your approach.
Closely related to jellyfish and anemones, fire coral is known to inflict a fiery wrath on divers who get too close. A common injury amongst divers, an unpleasant rash occurs from the fire coral’s mild toxicity. Try and control your movement, as injury typically occurs when divers lose buoyancy control, attempt to kneel on the seabed or rest on rocks.
