Fatal Jellyfish Sting in Australia

[MSilvia]

Fatal jellyfish sting kills diver

I'm a cold water diver, and while in the Gulf of Mexico, I couldn't resist diving without a wetsuit and enjoying the warm water. Given that exposure protection is also good protection against jellyfish stings, fire coral scrapes, and other contact-nasties, it's obviously safer to dive with even a thin suit. Just wondering... when in warm water, how many of you choose to dive without wetsuits? I probably won't again, now that it's occurred to me.

 

[scuba-sass]

I'd be curious to know if a dive-skin alone would protect from jellyfish stings. That's all I usually wear in warm water, and it's mostly for UV protection.

Any Thoughts?

Scuba-sass

 

[metridium]

What's with the "drysuit, never dove warm water" option?

If I'm not diving dry, I'm diving a wetsuit. And if I'm in a wetsuit, it's warm water.

As for the jellies, you'll still need gloves and something to cover your face and head.

 

[MSilvia]

My understanding is that it would unless it's so thin that when the cnidocyte (stinging cell) is activated, the nematocyst (stinger) is able to penetrate the dive skin. I think these are usually very small structures, so you should be okay.

If you do contact a stinging jellyfish with your wetsuit, avoid direct contact with the tentacles that will adhere to the suit, and use vinegar to wash them off. It's also good for treating the stings...

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by metridium
What's with the "drysuit, never dove warm water" option?

Us New England divers try to stay sensitive to the needs of our
peoples! :bang:

I dove in warm water once. I dove in a wetsuit. I really wish I
had my own stuff, because as I'm down cruising along the reef
I found myself extremely aware of the fact that I didn't have
gloves, and in fact, extremely uncomfortable and distracted by
the lack of gloves.

I have absolutely no plans to ever dive without wetsuit and
gloves. I'm actually shopping around for a 3 mm of my own so
I don't have the urge to go with my 7 mm jacket.

On the jellyfish side of things. Even in a wetsuit you can have
minor irritation from "sea lice" [I think they call it] which is
actually jellyfish larvae that ends up coming in your suit with
the water.

You also have to be careful of your lips, I've heard many a story
of people getting jellyfish stings on their lips. Granted we're
not talking about those nasty ones that I can't figure out how
to spell, but it's something to be aware of.

 

[MSilvia]

Originally posted by metridium
What's with the "drysuit, never dove warm water" option?

If I'm not diving dry, I'm diving a wetsuit. And if I'm in a wetsuit, it's warm water.

As for the jellies, you'll still need gloves and something to cover your face and head.

I know a few folks who have never been diving in water with a surface temp greater than the mid-60s, so going without a wetsuit because the water is "warm enough" has never come up for them.

 

[metridium]

Originally posted by MSilvia
I know a few folks who have never been diving in water with a surface temp greater than the mid-60s, so going without a wetsuit because the water is "warm enough" has never come up for them.

Just curious, b/c there didn't seem to be an option for me.

 

[MSilvia]

Yeah, sorry about that... I intended the latter three options to be read as starting with, "If the water I'm diving in is warm enough to enter in just a swim suit... "

 

[ScubyDoo]

I always wear a wetsuit when diving. Even when diving in a heated pool. I dont own a dive skin. The thinnest wetsuit I have is a 2.5 mil shorty/vest. It gives me the feeling of not having a wetsuit on since its short and sleeveless. I wear it over the top of my 3mm jumpsuit for cold water dives. When not doing training dives, I always wear my reef gloves. When I dive in salt water I always wear my 3mm jumpsuit and gloves. The water may be warm, but even 82 degree water can get cold after an hour underwater. Its better to take "cold" totally out of the picture.
Reef gloves however are not meant to protect from major bites and stings. Most critters in the ocean will bite right through them. They are good for protecting against minor scrapes and irritations however.

 

[metridium]

Originally posted by MSilvia
Yeah, sorry about that... I intended the latter three options to be read as starting with, "If the water I'm diving in is warm enough to enter in just a swim suit... "

In that case, I'm voting "always wear a wetsuit". I do that both for protection from stings, sunburn, etc., and to prevent heat loss.

Are the irukandji found primarily on the surface, or mid-water? If it's just on the surface, remember to blast some air to blow away the stingers from directly above as you're ascending to the surface.