Mass of painful and itchy bites afflicts family following day at the beach

The family, from Lake Macquarie, was holidaying at Mollymook and had just enjoyed a day near and in the "warm rock pools" towards the south end of Mollymook Beach.

Then things got irritable - literally.

"The whole family was attacked by what we thought was sea lice or spores of a sea urchin," a family spokesperson said.

"Our legs, arms and hands were the hardest hit, anything that was under the water.

"It was excruciating even once rinsed off and the aftermath was days of long of itchy pain."

The family was not even up on the rocks and enjoying what they thought was nice and safe "flowing/moving water".

The family sums up their experience in one word - "unbelievable".

"We [days later] are still covered but they are easing thanks to a concoction of remedies," the family member said.

Calamine lotion, antihistamines, steroid and cortisol ointments and creams, Epsom salts and Pinetarsol cool baths were among the "concoction of remedies" used.

"My sister-in-law literally had to carry her calamine lotion with her and constantly apply it," the family member said.

Now to the cause ......

"It's swimmers itch/pelican itch [cercarial dermatitis], caused by parasites in the water from sea birds in the warm rock pools. There was a massive influx of bluebottles that day, so we moved into the rocky area," the family member said.

The family went online with their concern and received a great deal of support and advice on how to treat the bites.

They were told to even boil their swimwear, clothes and towels.