Hudson River Skin Irritation?

[nutmeg creeker]

Actually, many more years ago than I care to admit, there was a Boy Scout advisory--probably in Boys Life, which warned about poison ivy being carried by campfire smoke.

[TCD]

Glad you figured out the mystery!

It's actually a known phenomenon to be affected by PI as a result of burning it. (I didn't know from the OP that a campfire had been part of the day.)

My mother had that very badly, some years before I was born, and warned me about it. In about 1950, my parents were clearing their building lot, and they burned a pile of brush. There ended up being PI in the brush, and my mother was very sick for several days from breathing the smoke (PI lesions in the mouth, nose and throat).

[montcalm]

That's crazy - I would have never thought you could get poison ivy from your campfire!

[Justin]

Ok I think I know what it was. My campfire.
I had a small stick fire during the evening and in the morning to cook some food, and I gathered dead wood along the shore which no doubt had probably been in contact with the poison ivy at one point or another, and the smoke from the fire is what infected my skin. I do recall reading somewhere that you can be infected from poison ivy smoke, and you can even breath it in which can affect your lungs. Thankfully that did not happen, but I did have my shirt off for a while because it was quite warm out, which probably explains why I have the rash all over my chest and on my back. Doh!
Live and learn. Needless to say I won’t be visiting that area again anytime soon.

[Justin]

No dog.

[TCD]

Was your dog with you? A friend who is sensitive to poison ivy has gotten it several times by transfer from the dog. Dog can have the oil on fur, transfer to car seat, backpack, etc., it can show up anywhere.

[Justin]

Thanks guys. Nothing unusual in what I ate or drank, and I don’t recall seeing anything that resembles the wild parsnip, but that is good information to know. It’s a bit of a mystery I guess. I even have some spots on my back where I can’t even reach.

[Wldrns]

it's a llittle late in the season, but wild parsnip is really nasty stuff when it is actively growing. Very common along roadsides and is a relative of giant hogweed. Most of it is dry now, but I have seen some fresh late season growth. I am particularly susceptable to the stuff and give it all a wide passage.

https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/105364.html

[St.Regis]

Think back on what you had to eat and drink. Anything outside your normal diet could be a possibility. Also, there are many plant allergens besides the obvious ones like poison ivy

[Bob K]

The flow rate in the Hudson there is high & steady. Hard to think of some toxic hanging out.

I recall that the trail most use to BL is a bit overgrown particularly near the river. I wonder if you picked it up along the way. I'm one of the lucky people who seem not to get poison ivy/oak/sumac in spite of exposure to it.

[Justin]

From what I’m reading, swimmers itch I guess is more associated with ponds or lakes, or even sea water. I haven’t seen much about it in rivers, but I guess could still be possible. I just found it odd that both times I “cooled off” in the Hudson River in this area I ended up with itchy patches of rash on my body that didn’t necessarily come in any direct contact with the poison ivy that I had recognized nearby and did my best to avoid.

[stripperguy]

Seriously, those oils can hang around a loooonngg time.
I too seem to attract poison ivy... In the warmer seasons, I might go a few weeks between wearing socks, well, I once got some on my ankle, even though I was wearing socks. A month later, after the first rash cleared up, I got it again, even though I was nowhere near any poison ivy, it was still in my socks, even after they were washed!!

Since your stuff is localized, my guess is poison ivy from an indirect contact. I've read that even years dead poison ivy vines can affect some people. That would be me, and maybe you too.

[ILikeRocks]

Sounds like swimmers itch to me

[montcalm]

No idea. Hope you feel better man...

I think if you're really sensitive best to stay away though - there may be old oils on the rocks and soils around where it is as well (although that's a WAG). Those river riparian areas can be a real hazard for some because of it.

[Justin]

I don't know a lot about poison ivy, it doesn't seem to affect me but I also know that the oils can really spread all over the skin if you're rubbing it around. My BIL got into some in his garden and didn't know what it was, pulled it out without gloves, then touched around his eyes other parts of his body and broke out there.

So maybe you got some on your hands at some point and then spread it around when you were splashing and washing yourself?

Definitely very possible, as I’ve always been very receptive to poison ivy ever since I was a little kid. As the cliche goes, If I even look at it I’ll break out in a rash so to speak lol. Maybe that’s all it takes, and splashing around in the water trying to wash myself off didn’t help, but in fact made it worse. Lesson learned!
Thanks for the input.