Box jellies in Bonaire

[DandyDon]

Everything I have read says that the Box Jelly or Sea Wasp of Australian waters can be deadly, but those of the Caribbean are not nearly so toxic, altho I am sure they could hurt, sting, even blister. A local told you that there were no stinging jellies locally...?

The trick to ascending thru Jellies is purge your reg which pulls water up thru the jellies dispersing them and ride the column....

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Here is WarmWaterDivers....
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[Boat Chick]

I had a near encounter with some box jellies last week in Bonaire. We were getting ready to go for a night dive off the dock at Buddy's, when some neighbors told us about some snorkelers who had been taken to the hospital the night before, after being stung by sea wasps. We decided not to go diving, and instead took our dive lights down the dock to look for the sea wasps. We counted six box jellies swimming around, under the lights by the pier. They're apparently attracted to the lights, perhaps because they're plankton feeders, which are also attracted to the lights? This all happened about a week or so after the full moon.

I have several questions, which the Bonaire regulars might be able to answer:

Are "sea wasps" synonymous with box jellies? I previously thought that they were two names for the same animal, but some divers there said they were different?!

Before going to Bonaire, I did some reading on jellyfish, and I thought that I had read somewhere that the only known box jellies in Bonaire are the Bonairean Banded Box Jelly. Is that a true statement, or do multiple kinds of box jellies exist in Bonaire?

Is it common in Bonaire to have an outbreak of box jellies 8-10 days after a full moon?

Bonaire has several types of jellies I believe, however, the dreaded Bonaire Banded Box Jelly (BBBJ) is VERY poisonous. It sounds like the folks that went to the hospital might have been tagged by one, or sea wasps, which can also be very dangerous. Box Jellies and Sea Wasps are not the same. Sea Wasps and jellies are more abundant 8-10 days after a full moon. Here are some good pics of the BBBJ, it moves very fast through the water.

http://blog.richterscale.org/index.php/gallery_blog/category/C3/

If you happen to see one, there is a man, Bud Gillian who is tracking the incidents. His contact info can be found on Bonaire Talk.

 

[piikki]

Bonaire has several types of jellies I believe, however, the dreaded Bonaire Banded Box Jelly (BBBJ) is VERY poisonous. It sounds like the folks that went to the hospital might have been tagged by one, or sea wasps, which can also be very dangerous. Box Jellies and Sea Wasps are not the same. Sea Wasps and jellies are more abundant 8-10 days after a full moon. Here are some good pics of the BBBJ, it moves very fast through the water.

http://blog.richterscale.org/index.php/gallery_blog/category/C3/

If you happen to see one, there is a man, Bud Gillian who is tracking the incidents. His contact info can be found on Bonaire Talk.

How large are these things usually?

 

[kmcneer]

is it the same situitation for Curacao?

 

[DandyDon]

Will a lycra dive skin alone stop a jelly fish sting if you bump into it? I usually wear a skin with a 3 mm shorty when in warm water.

I don't think you got an answer?

Yeah, probly. A light weight beanie or hood, gloves, and high booties or thin socks will help cover other areas. The toxins can penetrate the fabrics, but not easily.

 

[Spike_Digger]

Thanks for all the helpful replies, folks. I googled "carybdea alata" and read a lot of interesting pages. This is undoubtedly the creatures that I saw by Buddy's dock. I will probably keep the phase of the moon in mind, the next time I plan a trip to Bonaire. I wasn't particularly terrified by them, but my g/f will not stick a toe in the water if she hears that they're around. :11:

FWIW, there does seem to be some confusion on the pages that I read about whether these are called sea wasps or box jellies or both. But carybdea alata=sea wasp seems to be the most common.

 

[DandyDon]

FWIW, there does seem to be some confusion on the pages that I read about whether these are called sea wasps or box jellies or both.

It's a local name - depends on whom you ask...

 

[scubaaaronh]

I don't think you got an answer?

Yeah, probly. A light weight beanie or hood, gloves, and high booties or thin socks will help cover other areas. The toxins can penetrate the fabrics, but not easily.

Usually i wear a 3mm shorty with a lycra skin underneath it when in bonaire with my cold water boots no gloves though or hood.

 

[DandyDon]

Usually i wear a 3mm shorty with a lycra skin underneath it when in bonaire with my cold water boots no gloves though or hood.

If you want to have protection read in case of Jellies on the safety stop, or man-of-war, or whatever - you can carry light weight gloves and beanie in your BC pocket just in case. If you don't want to buy scuba types gloves and beanie, you might find suitable synthetic replacements at Walmart, etc.

 

[Jetwrench]

If you want to have protection read in case of Jellies on the safety stop, or man-of-war, or whatever - you can carry light weight gloves and beanie in your BC pocket just in case. If you don't want to buy scuba types gloves and beanie, you might find suitable synthetic replacements at Walmart, etc.

Before taking gloves to Bonaire, be sure to read the park rules on the restrictions of the use of gloves for diving on Bonaire. They are quite prohibitive and the rangers will enforce them. I have found that advice from the locals on how to avoid contact with dangerous jellies is the best way to ensure a safe dive. If one uses gloves and is in violation of park rules by doing so, they must also accept the consequences should they be caught. Even though it is a personal safety measure, the park and many divers may not see it that way. Just food for thought.