YIKES! I remember other early summers of the past when I was looking at the big brown jellyfish in the sea here in my little town of Nea Peramos, West Attica, and I used to think that was scary. Never had I ever imagined that it could get worse!
Well, there is worse, and it’s called ‘purple jellyfish’. Also mentioned as Mauve stinger (Pelagia Noctiluca) online, the Latin name owed to the fact that it glows in the dark! And this exotic creature is now found all over the coast of Attica right now, including in my local beaches. It has also been sighted in Ionian waters, so if you’re swimming in my beloved Corfu this summer keep your guard up, folks, just in case!
No one knows with certainty how these jellyfish wound up in our waters in such large numbers this year.
Because of this, I haven’t braved a visit to the beach yet for a swim, and this week it’s 38 degrees C and not fun at all.
The scientists say the phenomenon could abate soon, but then may reappear at the end of July because of the fluctuations of temperature that affect that of the water. So, the news is bad for this summer.
Still, the scientists have given the public precise advice on how to tackle the problem if someone gets stung. As it turns out, the purple jellyfish is not like the others. It is actually recommended not to use the well-known remedies of ammonia and… erm… Joey Tribbiani’s infamous trick of… uhh… ‘weeing on it’.
No. The purple jellyfish’s neurotoxin-carrying cells left on the skin can only be neutralized with the use of baking soda! This is the best way to alkalize the affected area immediately. And, before applying the baking soda, you need to wipe the area with something like a glove or a towel (not the naked hand) in order to remove any cell debris carefully, using seawater. Strictly NOT tap water.
The instruction is very particular, but thankfully clear, as if someone gets it wrong and is allergic to the sting, they could wind up in hospital.
With these horrors to consider, I am definitely packing a small thick towel in my beach bag this summer and some baking soda. Not taking any chances, folks! And it looks like I’ll have to leave my usual straying to the deep waters for another year maybe. I’ll be paddling in the shallows–and checking all around me incessantly–for the foreseeable future this summer!
Note: I found the above on Facebook and I am including it here for more detailed instructions. From what I found out in Facebook groups people do get stung over in Corfu right now. So, if you’re swimming in one of the affected regions of Greece this summer, get the treatment details right!
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