Beach warning: Waters jumping with box jellies in Oahu, Hawaii

A bevy of box jellyfish has arrived in Oahu waters, warned the Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division of Honolulu, Hawaii, in an advisory posted Friday. The affected beaches are Ala Moana Beach Park, Diamond Head Beach Park, Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Beach Park, Kapiolani Beach Park, Kapiolani Park Beach Center, Kuhio Beach Park and San Souci Beach.

In the waters off Waikiki’s beaches, over 600 box jellyfish were counted on Friday morning, said an official quoted in a Honolulu Advertiser story. While box jellies do tend to appear here seven to 10 days following a full moon, this month’s inflow is especially high.

This warning is already on the wane, seeing as how these creatures tend to stick around for about three days, so if you’re not on Oahu at present, take this as a cautionary reminder for ocean safety on future trips. Be alert for the jellies for the aforementioned period following a full moon, and check the Hawaii Beach Safety website for alert updates on jellyfish (or other things one might wish to avoid, for that matter). Keep an eye out for advisory signs on beaches, and, well, it’s never a bad idea to chat with lifeguards before beginning your aquatic explorations.

Box jellyfish, though intriguing invertebrates, have a painful sting that has caused anaphylactic shock in some people, according to the Hawaiian Lifeguard Assn. website. Unfortunately, being nearly translucent, these jellies are tricky for swimmers to spot.

What to do if you’re ever stung? Flush the affected area with lots of white vinegar, then apply heat or cold. If you didn’t pack vinegar in your beach bag, fret not — many lifeguards have vinegar available at their stations. If you notice any difficulty with breathing, get medical attention immediately.

— Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

[Photo: Honolulu.gov]

Permalink | E-mail | Print | Add to My Trips

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 7:59 am by Susan Derby and is filed under Hawaii, Healthy Traveler, Islands & Beaches, News, Tips & Advice, Oahu. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.