Anyone been stung by a jellyfish?

[diverjed]

I've been stung a few times by jellyfish.

A few times while Jersey Wreck Diving and one time off MOnterey, CA, where I got caught in a school of them. Tentacle zap!

Both times it felt the same, a raspy sting across the face, like sandpaper. After that second bout in CA my face was beat red for a while, but it soon went away. You couldn't have avoided it.

 

[Airhead]

to Anyone stung... As a newbie, I am only offering some personal experience to the sensation of being stung by the nettles of jellies. If this helps anyone with safe diving, then I am glad to offer. I have been stung many times by various types of jellies, some that I can name, some not. Of course, the worst in the atlantic/Caribbean are probably the Man-of-war floating with dangling tentacles. Thankfully, I have never encountered them in the water. (If you want to be bold, touch the washed-up version with your finger, and then immerse the finger in salt water). Salt water is usually needed to activate the venom. I once was water-skiing in charleston, S.C. in an inland waterway when I came up on the ski with a face full of (I think) Medusa jellies across my face and bare chest. Yes, I continued skiing for a short while, but I had my wife and friends drive the boat and truck/boat trailer home. I even had nettles in one of my eyes, but by the late evening, It was all O.K. The best defense from jellies is a wetsuit, second to diving when the things are out in the far open sea, where they belong. After a series of ocean storms, they are more likely to be near shore. Seasons play a part in their proximity, but I don't know if anyone has a real handle on their schedule. If anyone else reading this knows some more details on this subject, I'm sure me and others would appreciate the info. I have read or heard that sea turtles consider them a delicacy. Is this true?
, Sincerely, Airhead.. greenville, S.C.

 

[Fishbait99]

About the only jellyfish we get around PEI are the moon jellyfish and the Arctic Red jellyfish. The moon jellies don't really sting at all, but the red ones can give you a good zap. Unfortunately, I can say I have been stung way too often. However, even the red ones only hurt, they don't pose any real danger, although I suppose it is possible for a person to be allergic to jellyfish stings.

The closest I can come to describing how the sting feels is if you imagine a thin wire, heated until it is red hot, then touched across your skin. I've always felt it more as a burning sensation than a sting. The only side effect I've ever gotten is on days when I've been stung multiple times around the mouth (about the only part of the body that's exposed when wearing a full wetsuit); there have been times when my tongue and gums have actually started to go numb from the repeated injections of jellyfish venom. The little buggers can be so hard to spot...the tentacles can stretch out for a couple of meters...and I often don't even know they are there until I feel the sting.

But really, they are just an inconvenience, and one of those things you get used to after a while. I have no interest in doing an experimental comparison between the Arcitc reds and a box jellyfish!

 

[kelpdiver]

Vinegar helps because of the acidity--probably why urine can help, but before discharging on buddies or strangers, do you know your urine pH at the time?? It can vary from about 5 to 8, meaning at times it's alkaline and won't help, leaving the victim both pissed on and pissed off. I'd decline such offers. Vinegar is easy enough to carry around in a little vial. Meat tenderizer is a proteolytic enzyme, so slower to help.

I've been stung dozens of times as a kid in Chesapeake Bay, and Atlantic coast--yeah it stings intensely for a while, then fades, itches, etc. Unpleasant but never intolerable.

One of my most memorable dives in Monterey was a few years back at this time of year--calm, sunny, with plankton bloom making it soupy the first 20 or so ft, but cleared below, so light was soft and diffused. Brown jellies everywhere, unavoidable, but only a small area of your skin is exposed. It was eerie, beautiful, serene. I came out and noticed some stinging around my lips and cheeks--I'm sure I'd been stung. But I'd do that dive again in a hearbeat.

 

[crazed_dolphin]

KInd of depends on the type of jellyfish I guess. My experience was slight burning sensation followed by some itchyness.

 

[Cudabait]

PaulB

I've been got more times than I can remember over the years. Some pretty sporty others very mild. Meat tenderizer works best, vinagar is next best. Never been pees on so can not comment pro or con. Dive safe---Cudabait

 

[darkmoon3d]

Havn't been stung be jellyfish but brushed up on fire coral with hand. Didn't get vineger on it until I got back home that weekend. Took a long time until it healed since barbs are under skin. Are jellyfish stings similiar to fire coral where simply puting vineger on wound generally helps?

I suppose if its a jellyfish sting, then rubbing peanut butter and toping it with a sandwich bun might help?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Jellyfish are pretty much seasonal here in the Gulf of Mexico. While I'm new to the Diving world, I've been surfing and enjoying the Gulf for my entire life. Being stung by our most common jellies is no more than an annoyance. Slight burning and itching at worst. We do have some Man-O-War but they are less common. We also have several non-stinging-jellies...

I can honestly say I've been stung across every inch of my body at one point in time or another. Getting a solid sting(even from the simple "annoying jellies") in the groin is enough to get you out of the water. Sometimes they are too thick for a person to be in the water without some sort of exposure suit to protect you. Generally hand stings aren't even noticable, probably the most common sting for surfers most swimmers in shallow waters.

Saw a few last weekend... They're undoubtably making their presence again this year. I'm hoping they aren't too thick this weekend

 

[Aeolus]

During one of my visits to Roatan, we encountered what they call Sea Lice. They are actually very tiny baby jellys. Many of the people on the boat were hit rather hard, but for some reason they did not like me. They were mostly at the surface and you met with them during surfacing. One good technique is to vent air from your octo while ascending from the safety stop which causes them to disperse somewhat. Thanks.

 

[Benzonar]

When I did my PADI OW in the Red Sea, the initial swimming test was lots of fun.

The Instructor decided to take us out in the sea, which we weren't going to complain about due to the bouyancy.

Anyway whilst treading water I got whacked a few times, on my third yelp of pain I was informed that I was being tagged by Salp, ie baby jellyfish.

They looked like small bits of string about 6 inches long with tiny red beads every inch or so.

The rest of the course then involved getting tagged by these critters in any place that my shortie wasn't covering. The tags on the lip were probably the worst. Similar to very painful nettle stings, however they seemed to subside after about a minute, although the impact points were slightly tender for a few hours.

The important thing was not to itch, as this stimulates the stinging cells into releasing more toxin.