Jellyfish Attack!!!
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
OldDan1943
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30 years ago plus, the recommendation for jelly fish 'troubles' was, if not close to medical help, 'piss on it.' I guess that is no longer valid?
My luck, everyone around me would be either shy or empty.
My luck, everyone around me would be either shy or empty.
La Mer
Senior Member
Good question. Perhaps because urine is warm could be effective method of restoring blood flow to burned areas? Just wondering.
It was more popular after a Friends TV episode in which one person applied urine to a jellyfish sting.
Urine is sterile but my concern is that it has to pass through the germ-laden urethra to get out, and can lead to a bacterial infection of the sting wound.
As auskiwi rightly posted vinegar is usually the way to go just the plain white stuff.
La Mer
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Very sorry for you but an interesting point. Indeed the smallest jellyfish in the world is the creeping jellyfish. It has bell disks from 0.5 mm to a few mm in diameter.
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kapnd
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Surfing in Florida in the mid 60’s I got lots of exposure to jellyfish, they blow shoreward in long windrows, thousands of them.
In those days we all rode longboards, knee paddling, so unless you fell, your upper body was seldom immersed.
The trick to protecting your lower body was to wear pantyhose under your shorts, the tentacles cannot adhere to the slick plastic they are made of, so they harmlessly wash away.
At the time, that was a jealously guarded secret that almost guaranteed I could have the surf break all to myself, and of course, I didn’t want my friends to know what I was wearing!
They all thought I was Superman, few others would chance it when the jellies were in.
Treating jellyfish stings can be accomplished handily with a paste of meat tenderizer and warm water, or green papaya is one of the best remedies, at least in the tropics where such things abound.
In those days we all rode longboards, knee paddling, so unless you fell, your upper body was seldom immersed.
The trick to protecting your lower body was to wear pantyhose under your shorts, the tentacles cannot adhere to the slick plastic they are made of, so they harmlessly wash away.
At the time, that was a jealously guarded secret that almost guaranteed I could have the surf break all to myself, and of course, I didn’t want my friends to know what I was wearing!
They all thought I was Superman, few others would chance it when the jellies were in.
Treating jellyfish stings can be accomplished handily with a paste of meat tenderizer and warm water, or green papaya is one of the best remedies, at least in the tropics where such things abound.
dhays
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Many meat tenderizers use an enzyme extracted from papaya's.
The enzymes break down protien, I don't see how that would help with the sting...?
jimisbell
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I have read the whole thread and hoped that someone else would report this so I could just lurk. But many years ago in SoCal I was body surfing and scooped up a "Portuguese Man O War" right down the front of my bathing suit. It was NOT enjoyable as those tentacles thrashed around. But I did not have a reaction........at least not an allergic reaction. I was done surfing for the day, however.
OP
OP
menzies
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Interesting.
Do you believe that you were somehow not stung or that in some way you did not react to the venom?
Benthic2
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I think the "pee on it" rationale is that there is a very effective product called "Sting-eez" ( or something like that ) One of its main ingredients is urea. The urea breaks down the sticky stuff that attach the tentacles to your body. While urine has urea in it, it is not strong enough to break down the sticky stuff.
I suppose the warmth of the urnine would help some....but you are supposed to soak in warm water for 30 minutes......I don't want to meet the guy that can pee for 30 minutes !
I suppose the warmth of the urnine would help some....but you are supposed to soak in warm water for 30 minutes......I don't want to meet the guy that can pee for 30 minutes !
OldDan1943
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LOL, gather up your surfing buddies.
siestakey
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HAHA love it
Growing up in Florida with the intercostal in my backyard we always knew "The Best remedy"
Nothing worked great but boy did vinegar help and then we would take benydrl and put antihistamine cream on.
Also I wanted to thank you guys for posts on the Epipens unfortunately I carry them with me all the time in the last 20 years have had to use them them twice once myself and once a friend used it on my NOT FUN but a life saver!!!!!!
We have a medical kit full of stuff we hope we never use. Only time for Epi-pen was at marina in Bimini and mom in adjacent boat was panicking as son was having an attack and she couldn't find his pen. Used it and emt arrived about 40 min later, by which time he was fine. They had gone to the wrong marina, perhaps their mistake, perhaps caller. Oh, she located her pen that night.
cardude01
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When I was in HS some buddies and I took a trip the beach at Port Aransas one day. We saw a bunch of funny looking blue bubbles all over the beach near the water. One of my buds decided to run around stomping on the bubbles. We later realized they were Man O War jellies. His feet were in some considerable pain (I assume he also stomped on some tentacles), but we were stupid HS kids and didn’t know what to do, so we just drank more beer.
...
As an aside...A few years back we were transiting the ICW and ran through a "school" of jelly fish. Not quite as dense as the above gif but there must have been dozens upon dozens over a 4 or 5 mile stretch. Big 'uns as well. Some upwards of 10" in diameter...
...
Last century I was sailing on the inside of the keys in the summer. Well, sailing is not correct since there was no wind so we were motoring...
Twas hot as heck, the engine made it hotter down below, so when we anchored for the night, it was time for a swim! Just as I was about to dive overboard, I noticed the water was full of jelly fish. Never seen that many jelly fish in my life. Before or since. They were as thick, if not thicker, than the photo. Thankfully, I noticed the jelly fish before anyone jumped into the water. It would have been ugly.
Later,
Dan
Last century I was sailing on the inside of the keys in the summer. Well, sailing is not correct since there was no wind so we were motoring...
Thankfully, I noticed the jelly fish before anyone jumped into the water. It would have been ugly.
Later,
Dan
I came across that when diving off Miami a long time ago. Unfortunately that was the one day I did not wear my skin (thin wetsuit). It was a paranoid dive! I suppose it was breeding season or something.
wkearney99
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