Panama has a wonderful habit of making you forget that nature is not actually a swimming pool.
You arrive at a beautiful Caribbean beach, the water is warm, the sea is turquoise, the rocks look inviting, and naturally you want to walk straight into the ocean. Maybe you are carrying your snorkel, maybe you are holding a beer, and maybe you are thinking about absolutely nothing except how lucky you are to be in Panama.
Then suddenly…
CRUNCH.
A sea urchin has introduced itself to your foot.
Sea urchins are one of those small hazards that most visitors never think about until they are sitting on a beach holding their foot and wondering how something that looks like a harmless underwater pincushion managed to ruin their afternoon.
The good news is that sea urchins are not aggressive animals. They are not waiting to attack tourists. Almost every injury happens because a person accidentally steps on one, grabs one, or gets too close to one in shallow water. The spines can produce extremely painful puncture wounds, and some species have venom associated with their defensive structures.
Where you need to be particularly careful
The biggest danger is usually not swimming out in deep water. It is the few metres where you are entering or leaving the sea.
Sea urchins like shallow marine environments, particularly around rocks, reefs, hard surfaces and other places where they can hide. Divers Alert Network specifically warns people to pay attention when entering and exiting the water, especially where the bottom is rocky.
This is why the classic tourist injury goes something like this:
You swim out perfectly safely.
You snorkel.
You admire colourful fish.
You swim back toward shore.
You stand up.
You take two steps.
Ouch.
That last part is where the trouble begins.
The shallow water can make it difficult to see exactly where you are putting your feet, particularly when there are waves, glare, cloudy water or lots of rocks. A dark sea urchin sitting between rocks can be remarkably difficult to notice.
Never assume a rock is a rock
This is especially important when exploring rocky Caribbean beaches, tidal pools and shallow reef areas.
If you see a round, dark, purple, black, reddish or otherwise suspiciously spiky object underwater, do not touch it.
Sea urchins come in a surprising variety of colours, and their spines can be long, sharp and fragile. They are also fascinating animals, so snorkellers sometimes make the mistake of reaching toward them for a closer look.
Don't.
You don't need to touch wildlife to enjoy it.
And if you are wearing water shoes, don't assume you are invincible either. Sharp urchin spines can penetrate some footwear.
Walking into the water? Shuffle and look.
One of the easiest habits to develop is simply paying attention to the bottom.
Instead of marching confidently through shallow water like you are crossing your hotel bathroom, slow down. Look ahead. Watch where you put your feet. If the bottom becomes rocky or you can see urchins, move carefully and consider putting on appropriate water shoes.
And don't forget the journey back out.
People tend to be much more cautious when entering the ocean because they are looking at the water. When leaving, they are often tired, distracted, talking to friends and thinking about lunch.
That is exactly when an unfortunate foot can find an urchin.
Night swimming deserves extra caution
Walking barefoot through shallow tropical water at night is particularly bad idea territory.
Your visibility is dramatically reduced, and sea urchins do not politely move out of your way because you cannot see them.
Medical references specifically recommend avoiding barefoot wading at night because accidental sea urchin injuries are much easier when you cannot see the bottom.
If you are doing a nighttime beach walk, use a light and stay aware of where you are stepping.
What happens if you step on one?
Usually, the first thing you notice is pain.
And sometimes a lot of it.
The spines can puncture the skin and break off underneath it. Depending on the species and depth of the injury, you can experience burning pain, redness, swelling and tenderness. Retained pieces of spine can cause continuing inflammation and sometimes infection.
The good news is that most sea urchin injuries are not life threatening. The bad news is that your foot may strongly disagree with that statement for the next several hours.
What should you do?
First, get yourself safely out of the water.
Look at the injury and, if there are obvious superficial spines that can be removed easily, carefully remove them with clean tweezers. Do not start digging around inside the wound trying to excavate every tiny piece. Sea urchin spines are brittle and can break, making things worse.
Hot water can provide significant pain relief. Divers Alert Network recommends immersing the affected area in hot water that is not hotter than about 45°C / 113°F, generally for 30 to 90 minutes. Be extremely careful not to burn yourself.
The wound should also be cleaned, and medical attention is sensible if spines are deeply embedded, the injury is extensive, pain is severe or persistent, or you develop increasing redness, swelling, warmth, discharge or other signs of infection.
A doctor may also need to deal with spines that have broken off deeply in the skin. Marine puncture wounds can become infected, and your tetanus vaccination status may be relevant.
And don't believe every beach remedy
Tropical beaches are full of fascinating traditional remedies, and you will probably hear several suggestions after somebody gets injured.
Some medical sources mention vinegar as potentially useful for certain sea urchin spine fragments, but treatment is not completely standardized, and the safest approach is proper cleaning, careful removal of accessible spines and medical evaluation when necessary.
What you definitely don't want to do is start aggressively digging into your foot with a knife, fishing hook or whatever suspicious object happens to be sitting in your beach bag.
Your holiday does not need an emergency-room sequel.
The simple Panama rule
You don't need to be afraid of the ocean in Panama.
You just need to respect it.
Watch where you step. Be especially careful around rocks and shallow reef areas. Look before putting your feet down. Don't pick up strange marine creatures. Wear appropriate water shoes when conditions call for them. Be particularly cautious when entering and exiting the water and when walking around after dark.
Panama's underwater world is one of the reasons to come here in the first place. Sea urchins are fascinating members of that ecosystem, not villains.
Just admire them from a safe distance.
Because there is a big difference between saying “Look at that beautiful sea urchin!” and saying “Does anyone know where the nearest clinic is?”
And in Panama, you definitely want the first conversation.