Mix throngs of beachgoers with throngs of jellyfish and what do you get? Stings. In fact, Tybee lifeguards have treated more than 10,000 jellyfish stings this season, said Lt. Hunter Robinson of Tybee Island Ocean Rescue. In part, it's a record year for stings because there have been more potential victims. Tybee has seen healthy numbers of tourists, some who diverted to Georgia to avoid the threat of the Gulf oil spill.
The jellyfish have been there to greet those extra tourists in waves, both literally and figuratively. An unusually high population of lion's mane jellyfish plagued Tybee's surf in the spring and early summer. That species prefers cooler water, so a later than normal warm-up last spring after a cold winter contributed to them overstaying their welcome at Tybee, said Beth Palmer, an educator at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center.
Tybee's lifeguards treat the stings with a product called Jellyfish Squish, made and donated by Savannah-based Coastal Solutions Inc. On Aug. 1, the 23 guards on duty had sting sufferers lined up dozens deep for treatment. That day alone, Tybee racked up 1,391 reported stings.
Box jellyfish and sea nettles were the main culprits by that time, having taken over from the lion's mane jellyfish by July. Also bobbing around in Tybee's surf are cannonball and moon jellies, though their stings are milder, Palmer said.
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http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-08-23/tybee-sets-jellyfish-sting-record
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