Question Box Jellyfish ??

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Murphy in NC

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So I was talking to a friend and they mentioned Box jellyfish in Kona and they can be fatal.

I was excited to take my kid diving, looking at the Kona Manta night dive amongst othrs and swimming in the ocean however now second guessing the whole trip.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

I have not dove in the Pacific before, stuck mostly to the Caribbean.
 
They have never been an issue for us and my wife and I dive on the Big Island 2-3 times a year, honestly I've never given them a thought while on island. The box jellies in HI are not as potent as other parts of the world. I personally prefer diving in the Pacific but that just me and HI is a little different compared to some of the Pacific. Also I use a 5mm wetsuit in HI all year even though it is warm water it's not Caribbean warm. Have fun I love diving on the Big Island, lots of good shore diving also.
 
So I was talking to a friend and they mentioned Box jellyfish in Kona and they can be fatal.

I was excited to take my kid diving, looking at the Kona Manta night dive amongst othrs and swimming in the ocean however now second guessing the whole trip.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

I have not dove in the Pacific before, stuck mostly to the Caribbean.
They can be dangerous in Bonaire, too. 8-10 days after the full moon. Dive shops post warnings at their docks.
But the really bad one are in Australia, the Irukandji.
There are very few reported fatalities, even from the Irukandji.
 

Old story:

Only last yr in Thailand:

Jellyfish in Japan!

Monster!
 
Similar to @NorCalDM, I've done a lot of diving on the Big Island, most of it from shore. Never had an issue. I generally don't wear wetsuits or gloves. The one time I have been stung by a box jelly was in Little Cayman on a night dive. They were attracted to the boat's lights and one got me on the hand. Totally invisible in those conditions. That was a very painful evening, but I didn't miss any dives the next day. Lots of vinegar and hot water. You can always wear a full skin or suit and gloves to minimize the risk.
 
Go and have a great time. I used to be a dm in Hawaii and go back frequently - never been stung by anything there. The only time I’ve been stung was by a man-of-war off of Cabo. I’ve taken my son to do the manta night - we actually did the snorkel and not the dive since he wasn’t certified at that time, and only saw one manta just for a second. The dive may be better, but I’ve heard they aren’t quite as numerous as they used to be seen. That said, have dinner at the Sheraton right there where they shine the lights into the water - we watched many off of there and that was fun.
 
The box jellies on the Big Island are common esp on night dives. I find they have very mild stings but I suppose (like bees) a person could be sensitive/allergic. I don’t stop diving when stung but otoh it IS briefly irritating. Never hear people complain about them but wearing a thin wetsuit and a beanie ought to be pretty effective.
 
The box jellies on the Big Island are common esp on night dives. I find they have very mild stings but I suppose (like bees) a person could be sensitive/allergic. I don’t stop diving when stung but otoh it IS briefly irritating. Never hear people complain about them but wearing a thin wetsuit and a beanie ought to be pretty effective.
Thanks, the instructor who told me about the box jellies made it sound like I was risking my life by going to the big island, CRAZY
 
15,000 dive and counting on Oahu and never really had an issue. Think I can remember 3 times where them have hit my hand or lip (that one hurt) but honestly no worse than a bee sting. We see more people get hit on their ankles at the beach as the dead ones wash up on shore than out at diving depths.
 
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