Malta Dangers of the Deep: Jellyfish!

When the sea temperature warms up, the jellyfish population seems to expand, which is not good if you like splashing around in the sea.  Now I have yet to see a jellyfish since arriving here in 2011, despite spending many hours in the water - mostly off the rocky beaches around Sliema - but I am told that 2011 was an unusually thin year for jellyfish and so you can't always count on avoiding them.  In fact sightings have already shown a marked increase by early summer 2012.

There are a wide variety of these little critters around, and the chart on the left (from the 'spot the jellyfish' initiative) shows a selection of the more common ones.  The most common of all is the Mauve Stinger, which will give you a pretty painful sting but no more than that.  The most dangerous types, however, are the Box Jellyfish and Portuguese Man o' War.  If you see something that looks like either of these, get moving in the opposite direction.






I have been pretty lucky to date (am touching wood as I write this) as I've not had any close encounters with the jellyfish.  And if you swim in the areas protected by nets, you probably won't either.  But just in case you do get stung, this is what the Public Health Department in Malta recommends that you do:

• Soak or rinse the area in sea water. Fresh water should not be used as this would lead more toxins to be released;
• Remove tentacles with a stick, card or a pair of tweezers, being careful not to touch them with other areas of the skin to avoid secondary stinging;
• Apply alcohol to the area;
• Do not rub the area;
• Do not apply ice or hot water;
• Seek immediate medical treatment in case of difficulty in breathing or swallowing, chest pain or intense pain at the site of the sting.

For what it's worth, I'm not going to waste too much time worrying about them and they're certainly not going to put me off swimming.


More Dangers of the Deep:  Sharks and Sea Urchins