Jellies Plague Europe

by Erik Olsen on

Summer is drawing to a close and I have to say I hardly got any diving in. The sad state of affairs when you live in New York City and your nearest body of water is the Hudson River. But a buddy of mine who dives and who moved to Europe a little bit ago mentioned to me that there was an epidemic in European waters. No, not cholera or the plague … or at least not a plague in the traditional terms. In this case, Europe this past summer was plagued by jellyfish. Now, anyone who has ever dived and gotten stuck in a bloom of jellies or stinging nettles knows that the experience can be horrible. I’ve had it happen in Mexico. And more, scientist say that things might only get worse with a rise in global temperates.

Still they also say that the species reaching European beaches aren’t thought to be lethal to humans, but some of them, like the purple jellyfish, can sting like the dickens and can cause an allergic reaction. According to this piece over at National Geographic, the Spanish Red Cross says that they’ve treated more than 19,000 bathers for jellyfish stings in the famous Costa Brava resort region alone.

So while we are easing our way into summer, folks who thought a last dash to Europe for some beach fun, might have to think again.

Australia’s Beaches: Look, but Don’t Touch

by Iva Skoch on

Australia’s beaches are among the most beautiful in the world. To look at, at least. If you actually want to go in the water, you might have a problem. Especially in the more remote areas.

I went this past February, one of the most popular months to go (the end of their summer) but it is clearly a bad time to visit the beach. Not only was it infested with vicious jelly fish (blue bottle, box jelly fish and other lethal ones), but it was also the crocodile mating season. Although stunning beaches stretch along Australia’s east coast for thousands of miles, it is recommended that travelers read the warning signs, such as the one displayed here.

Locals seem to prefer going in the water wearing full-body nylon suits (“stinger suits”) to protect their skin from the stingers (i.e., jellyfish). Nylon suits, however, don’t really work against the crocs. The “salties”, as Australians like to call the dangerous salt-water crocodiles, lay eggs in the ocean, but very close to the shore…and needless to say, they don’t want to be bothered with people swimming over their nursery. With crocodiles being a protected species–it is illegal to shoot them–they have become a problem for public beaches. And now, with Steve Irwin not around, I would predict the crocs will get even more comfy along the shore.