Duck Itch

[roundisland1]

Hello All!

Happy holidays. I'm trying to start a thread on duck itch. You know, that nasty patchy red itching attack. For years my wife's grandparents used to rake the sand on their beach out to a depth of about 4 ft (keeping it clear for swimming). That would include about 25 ft. out into the sandy area underwater from the beach. When I was younger and they use to rake, we never had any problems with so called duck itch. Today, the sand maintains itself farily well and we don't rake (lazier) but we have this duck itch problem. This is especially true for kids who dig in the sand along the water's edge and out to around 3 ft. of depth. I tend to stand up to my knees or sit in a chair up to my waste on nice days. When the kids are a diggin, we all tend to wind up with duck itch to a varying degree. Me around the waterline and them all over their legs. What I understand is that the itch comes from parasites that are generated by freshwater snails that feed on duck scat. Is this fact or fiction? The cycle seems to make sense in that the parasites might live in the sand and get churned up from digging. If so, they could float up and attach to your skin. Remedies include Fell's Naptha soap (after the fact) and lubing up with permanent (waterproof) suntan lotion before entering the diggin zone (a film of protection). In any event, the problem appeared about 12 years ago and seems to exist every summer starting when the water is warm enough to get into. Does anyone have any wisdom to offer on this subject?

RI1

[Silver Duck]

RI1

You're basically correct; Duck Itch is caused by a parasite that burrows under the skin. And, both ducks and snails are "hosts" for the parasite at different stages in its life cycle.

Another technique for preventing it is toweling yourself very thoroughly when you come out of the water; that destroys the parasites before they have time to burrow.

There was a very extensive thread on this subject last year. I don't know how to post a link, but it should be easy enough to find, and well worth the effort.

Silver Duck

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Silver Duck

...There was a very extensive thread on this subject last year. I don't know how to post a link, but it should be easy enough to find, and well worth the effort...Silver Duck...

Hi SD,

I think this may be the thread you were referencing:

All the scratch on Duck Itch!!!

Skip

[SAMIAM]

RI.....My beach is loaded with ducks but we've never had a duck itch problem.Every week or so I start my boat while tied to the dock and put it into gear at low idle,directing the flow of water toward the beach with the trim up slightly so as not to gouge a hole in the sand.Then I use my roof rake to gently agitate the area.It keeps the bottom sparkling clean,dislodges any potential weed growth.
You can reach out 20' or more and it's quite easy,really......good exercise too!

[ApS]

Patchy? Rattlesnake Gal posted this photo of a pox-like rash on an ankle.

You can see that there are distinct red spots -- each of which you could cover with a nickle. (I get large, irregular patchy itchy rashes that don't look like her photo at all. A forum member suggested a "phosphorus allergy".)

But more important than sand or the beach is the direction of the wind prior to bathing. Wind and waves will concentrate those microscopic critters against windward-facing shores. Sandy beaches can probably keep them even more concentrated -- and alive -- longer.

I'll be on the lookout, though: This year, for the first time in memory, I actually do have a sandy beach!

Originally Posted by roundisland1

"...I tend to stand up to my knees or sit in a chair up to my waste on nice days...."

Then again, Duck Itch may not be the problem!