Attacked by Leeches- TMI Photos

[LotsofLeeches]

My friend and I went on a 3 day remote area hike in tropical Australia. We are experienced hikers and normally deal with leeches in a sensible manner.

This was something else- on our 3rd day hiking out, we experienced a leech attack of biblical proportions- we actually couldn’t stop to remove them because every 10 we got off, 20 more would climb on while we were stationary. We couldn’t sit down anywhere as they were just oozing out of the ground. The track was very overgrown so our legs and torsos and heads were constantly brushing against foilage, letting the fuckers get all over us.

My friend had them in her mouth. I had them deep inside my eyelid- twice. Friend acted as an emergency medic and heroically tweezered them out. Sadly we don’t have a photo of this as we were already at maximum freak-out.

Enjoy the photos of our leechy legs.

That change im behaviour with her dad is weird. I know it's lighthearted and you and dh found the change in her behaviour funny but I would absolutely have told her parents how she had behaved. Rude about everything and hitting adults and name calling just isn't acceptable from any child.

Wrong thread!!

Thamks!

🤣 I bet! What an “experience”!

Very brave of you both, hope you both heal quickly.

Jeez, I think I'll restrict my hiking to the Crab and Winkle Way with a pint waiting at the pub in Whitstable.

This isn't sporn, it is unmitigated horror. If one of your 17,000 leech bites had gotten infected and suppurated, then fair dos, but this? What is wrong with you woman?

I'm a hard core sporner, but, but... 🤢

Eugh! That is truly horrifying. Thanks for sharing the photos though, it’s horrible but gruesomely fascinating.
I saw a youtube video the other day of a leech being removed from inside someone’s nose, which I thought was bad enough. I never considered them getting into your eyes. Presumably they could enter you through other access points too…. Ears, vagina?
I am never going to Australia. Hope you and your friend make a full recovery.

Oh OP, you are so calm about this! I would have been shrieking away and crying with the fear of this. In your eye?!?! Oh man....this is the stuff of nightmares.

I suppose knowing you survived that, everything else you do will seem easy in a "at least it's not as bad as that hike where I was covered in leeches".

Ye Gods!! I'm not particularly squeamish and I generally find leeches fascinating - my old zoology lecturer at uni studied them and had them in tanks all around his office, and he would occasionally bring one out to show us its mouthparts, and once (with my permission) put one on my arm to demonstrate the pre-bite anaesthetic and let us observe it feeding. This, though, is a whole other level, and is yet another reason why I will never set foot in Australia!!

I'm damaged

Would that count as autocannibalism?

That is crazy!! In your eyes. That’s horrific. Poor you

Why did I keep opening the photos? Good lord, you are a better woman than me, I once cried when I got caught up in a plague of mayfly and they don't even bite.

Jeez that is horrific. The more I read about Australia the less I want to go. In fact, this has cemented my decision.

I'm off to bed to have leech nightmares now!

You have won Sporner Corner for all time. We need to rename it Leech Corner in tribute.

My Dad had leaches put on a wound whilst in a bog standard NHS hospital, not that long ago, it was one nurse's speciality.

I salute your bravery. I am itchy and feeling anxious just reading this!

WTAF have I just seen? Those things were dropping on you and went in your eye?? Its like a horror movie.
I too have the gip. I'm sitting here with scottish midge and cleg bites and having removed a tic from my ankle. You win the internet.
I need a lie down.
But first I have to look at your pics again.

How are your bites healing?

OMG!!!

I thought that they were like slugs, a bit gross but slow.
I'd no idea leeches were so 'active' !!

Looking better. It’s taken a while- I am a terrible picker!

gorgeous labbydor on nurse duties! Look at that face!
That looks much better now, what a mess your legs were in!

Any plans for further exploring or are you sticking to safer/drier routes from now on?

Another reason not to go to Australia. Sharks, snakes, spiders and now leeches! 😩