Jellyfish

Newbie Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 6 Location: Atlanta,GA

Hey Everyone,
I've become hooked on this site reading all the posts. I wanted to ask if anyone knows how the jellyfish are in May? I hate to see girlfriend being miserable the first time to GC.

Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:53 am Post subject:

Hi mad0309,

There is a long thread in the Diving forum about Sea Lice and Sea Itch. Seems to mostly be a problem when the thimble jellyfish larvae are abundant in the spring months (like March-May). There's really a lot of good information shared by everyone in the posts.

Here's the link -

Native Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 2033 Location: Illinois

There was just an article in one of the Cayman papers that they have been spotted in the area and depending on the winds it could affect the area around grand Cayman.

Shelly :-)

Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:40 pm Post subject:

eeewwwww!!! Hope they go away by June!! water

Tracy "Island Girl"

Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:58 am Post subject:

Living near the beaches all my life, I have run into the "sea-lice/sea itch" problems early spring serveral times.
You don't know they are on you until the next morning, you have a rash all over your bathing suit area and younger children may have a slight fever. Showering doesn't help either.
What I did learn from having younger children is to go straight home and jump into the pool for a little while.
There must something in the pool water that neutralizes or kills them.
My kids and I only had one outbreak and that is when thunderstorms prevented us from jumping into the pool when we got home.
Many of my friends and co-workers have took my advice and swear by my "swimming pool" theory.

Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:14 am Post subject:

We're taking a supply of "Safe Sea" on our upcoming trip specifically to ward off the jellies. I need to research a bit more about the 'season' for thimbles down off Grenada, but I imagine it is similar.

Captain Jack's link gets you to an informative, and amusing, string of anecdotal posts.

The issue of sea lice isn't really so great that it warrants too much, if any, worrying. Still, a wee bit of prevention is certainly advisable and will be sufficient.

Maybe I missed it in the linked thread, but at one time PADI and others recommended sprinkling meat tenderizer on stings. It seems the tenderizer apparently broke down the proteins in the nematocysts, thus neutralizing the sting. Then again, that might be mis-information promulgated by marine predators to make us tastier. Twisted Evil

DS

Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:18 am Post subject:

I've been diving in GC during March many times and I haven't had a problem with jellyfish. It is good to rinse around the areas of bathing suits and straps etc, as that seems to be where the irritaion occurs. One good thing about thimble jellyfish is that turtles love to eat them, so if you see those little guys, keep an eye for turtles!
August is "jellyfish month" here on LI. You know it's bad when you see thousands of people at the beach and noboby's in the water...

Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:42 am Post subject:

HMMMM...

Newbie Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 6 Location: Atlanta,GA

Thanks All

Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:20 am Post subject:

Safesea(google it) is the way to go. The ONE time I forgot to use it, I got welts all over my legs and feet that lasted for almost 2 weeks(probably from kicking while snorkeling).I wore swim trunks and a loose fitting rash guard that protected by body. Just get protection and then, don't worry about it.