![]() Stung By A Jellyfish? No Lifeguard? Don’t Pee On It.įrom the time I learned what a box jellyfish or Portugese man-o-war was (remember that 1st sting?), I was told over and over again that peeing on it was a way to get rid of the pain. Otherwise the only ones who will benefit from this post are people Googling “Siphonophores in Hawaii”. But in order to spread the word about beach safety in Hawaii, I’ll continue to refer to them as jellyfish since that’s what the general public in and out of Hawaii is familiar with. They aren’t related to each other at all. Interesting fact: Portugese man-o-wars are siphonophores, not jellyfish. May your days at the beach be the exact opposite of mine on these 2 occasions. Here’s to you having a jellyfish-free vacation in Hawaii. Anything floating was deemed dangerous and I whacked it away with my paddle. I did not want to get stung again in this embarrassing position. I also remember keeping my eye out for any Portugese man-o-wars drifting close to me. In the middle of a waveless ocean, plastered awkwardly on my side, I lay flat against the kayak with one leg trailing behind me – all while holding onto the paddle for dear life. I realize now I must have looked like a goose. The strand shifted positions and began to sting another patch of skin.Īfter some minor panic and with careful elementary-grade resourcefulness, I stuck my leg into the water and held on tight to the other side of the kayak so I wouldn’t flip. The strand clung on like wet hair on skin and the worst part was I couldn’t touch it! I splashed water on myself, which was a huge mistake. I glanced down at my knee and there it was – a long, thin strand of electric blue jelly legs that had come up through the scupper hole. ![]() But the stinging continued and I realized that the now sharp pain was turning off my happiness valve. Nothing could dampen my happiness because I was a kid and I was paddling in a kayak by myself and I was doing an awesome job! I was a grown up and I was independent. I distinctly remember feeling a dull, stinging sensation on my right knee, but shook it off. The water was flat and although I struggled with the paddling in the beginning, I soon got the hang of it and we cruised the coastline together. Dad and Michael went in one, and I went in another and off we went. I was 11 or so and my Dad brought my brother and I to a harbor with 2 kayaks in tow. My 2nd Portugese man-o-war sting? I remember that. I ended up sitting on the beach with my Mom and I started to rub sand on the sting because it made the hurt and crazy itch go away. I was younger than 5 and my parents were washing me off in the shower and trying to comfort me. And many Hawaii visitors don’t realize that once a month we’ve got jellyfish swarms visiting our shores and making a sea of red welts and screaming children. Let’s talk about a painful subject – jellyfish. ![]()
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