Stings

[spectrum]

Last Sunday I went shore diving in the ocean here in southern Maine.

In the water we noticed what appeared to be freshly hatched jellyfish. Just about the size of a small pinky fingernail or a contact lense at the most. There were dense pockets of them. We ran into them from time to time during the dive day. They were generally in the shallows. We spent a fair amount of time in the shallows as a newly minted diver was configuring weights. That said my regulator was in and out some as me mucked around.

During the dives I noticed that my mouthpiece tasted like cinnamon but I figured it had to be my magination.

A day or 2 latter blisters developed on my lower lip. They were similar to a cold sore but not quite and they didn't have that cold sore senation at all. The way they peaked and are now healing is also different so I don't think it was a coincidental cold sore.

Could I have been tasting juvenille jellyfish stinging in my mouth and did they also do a number on my lip.

Last May in that same cove I have seen 1-2" pinnafore jellyfish in the water so I assume I was diving in this years generation.

I dove yesterday and the same mouthpiece only tasted like salty rubber.

Thoughts?

Pete

 

[k8brandt]

Yep, sounds like jellyfish larvae, mean little suckers. As mom wold say, "just buck up and don't scratch". Of course, way back then there wasn't the abundance of choice in anti-itch solutions. Go get yourself some if you haven't already.

 

[RumBum]

Hmmm.... jellyfish larvae taste like cinnamon? Sounds like one of those foods that tastes great going down but bites you back later!

 

[Skeeter1097]

I have ran into thows nasty thangs befor too. But I have not found any cinnaman ones yet. Be sure to wash all your gear with sope not just rince off.