Tybee Island lifeguards deal with 300 folks for jellyfish stings this previous weekend

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) – As quickly as you stroll onto Tybee Seashore, there are indicators warning about stinging marine life, which incorporates jellyfish.

This previous weekend, that warning rang very true.

Lifeguards on the island handled 300 folks for jellyfish stings this previous Saturday alone which is an abnormally excessive quantity, in line with Tybee Island seaside rescue.

Nonetheless, the jellyfish aren’t right here simply to be a nuisance to swimmers, there’s an environmental rationalization for his or her presence.

“There was a robust easterly wind, that’s wind blowing east to the west in the direction of Tybee Island offshore, so it’s probably there have been colleges of jellyfish on the market offshore, and so they blew in there with the wind and the climate over the previous couple of weeks,” Public Data Officer Tyler Jones mentioned.

Jellyfish are actually on the mercy of the tides, Jones says. They don’t actually swim a lot as float round so once they’ll go away Tybee Island is as much as nature.

“Ultimately the tide will are available excessive sufficient that it’ll carry them out. And it’s doable that they’ll even be meals for different animals within the ecosystem, so shorebirds, crabs, issues like that that’ll eat the carcasses of the jellyfish which are left on the seashores,” Jones mentioned.

Within the meantime, the jellyfish have been holding beachgoers out of the water, for worry of being stung.

“Yesterday at this similar location somewhat boy was stung within the face by a jellyfish. A couple of minutes in the past I went to the sting of the water and that was the primary thought, was that little boy yesterday, and I didn’t wish to smash my trip with a doable jellyfish sting,” Eadie Mckenzie, vistor mentioned.

“We’ve seen at the very least three households go away as a result of they’ve been stung by jellyfish. I didn’t assume the risk was a giant deal, however now I’m somewhat bit involved as a man from Iowa who is aware of nothing about jellyfish,” Daniel Nietzel, vistor mentioned.

The jellyfish aren’t stinging swimmers to be malicious, Jones says. They’re typically simply startled or attempting to eat.

“A number of the bigger, stronger jellyfish will be capable to sting fish and issues like that to allow them to eat them, however no, they’re not actively considering they’re attempting to return get you or something like that,” Jones mentioned.

Jones additionally says jellyfish exhibiting up in excessive numbers like that is pretty widespread and could be anticipated two or 3 times a 12 months.

Tybee Seashore Rescue says in the event you do get stung by a jellyfish to exfoliate the realm with moist sand, after which head to a lifeguard tower to make use of jellyfish spray on the sting, which is a mixture of vinegar and water.

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