Jellyfish Invasion Forces More Than a Dozen Beach Closures in Australia
Over the weekend, during the height of the Australian summer, a swarm of bluebottle jellyfish stung thousands of beachgoers in Queensland, on Australia's east coast. According to The New York Times, more than 3,500 stings were reported last weekend.
Though it's not uncommon to find jellyfish in warm waters, there have been more than three times the number of reported stings between now and Dec. 1, the start of summer in Australia, than there were for the same period last year. So far, over a dozen beaches have been closed due to the jellyfish (technically, siphonophores). Their overwhelming presence was likely caused by easterly winds and swells pushing large numbers of jellyfish toward the shore.
"With those winds, we're predicting that we probably will have some bluebottles and stingers around for the rest of the week," lifeguard supervisor Rhys Drury told News7 Brisbane, adding that if you're stung by a bluebottle, you should remove the tentacles immediately before cleaning the area with the hottest water you can stand. Hot water neutralizes the sting, while ice will numb it.
Jellyfish stings are no joke. There are thousands of jellyfish species, and though some only live for a few weeks, certain kinds can survive for a year or longer. They range in size and color, but no matter how small they might be, their sting can really hurt. Bluebottles are known for delivering an excruciating sting, but it's not known to be deadly to humans.
Beth McCrea, a diver and social media director of the NYC Sea Gypsies, has been stung twice by jellyfish of different varieties, once while bodysurfing in Barbados and another time while snorkeling with dolphins in the Bahamas. "In the first case, I had no idea what was happening. I thought I had been electrocuted or there was a chemical spill," she told TPG. "I of course knew of jellyfish stings, but had no idea they could feel like that. I ran onto the beach yelling and crying for the lifeguard."
In McCrea's case, the treatment was to douse the affected area with vinegar, but treatments may vary depending on the type of jellyfish you've been stung by. If you do get stung while traveling, be sure to seek assistance from the lifeguard or a medical professional.
Featured photo by natalie_board / Getty Images.
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
- Top rated mobile app