Beware! Danger in the Water
Of course, you can encourage a shark attack by disguising yourself as a seal. Just zip up in a wetsuit and bravely hurl yourself into waters full of seal packs along the well-known shark feeding routes. You shouldn't have to wait long before some shark mistakes you for a plump juicy seal.
Although it's unlikely you will be taken by a shark in Australia, you can very, very easily suffer a fatal attack from a harmless looking jellyfish.
On the unspoiled beaches ....
Australia has glorious beaches. There are beautiful areas of seeming tranquility, especially on the long stretches of golden sands with not a trace of humans to be seen, a sight which always entices the unwary traveler.
But beware! There's danger in the water
Box Jellyfish
One of the most lethal creatures found in the world is the box jellyfish. It's certainly the the most venomous of marine animals and kills more people than stonefish, sharks and crocodiles combined.These little blobs of jelly may look harmless enough, but they can shoot off poison-tipped darts before you have time to blink.
They can kill a child instantly and they will give you a fatal heart attack.
These blobby creatures are active, visual hunters seeking prey all year round, but particularly from October to June. Their extremely sophisticated eyes can see pretty much across the entire light spectrum and their vision is better than most birds. They will see you before you see them.
The Consequences of a Sting
- cardiotoxic - effect on the heart
- neurotoxic - damage to the nerves
- dermatonecrotic - effect on the skin
What does that mean?
Firstly, you will most likely suffer cardiac arrest within minutes. Three metres of tentacles touching your skin is quite enough to be fatal.
Even if your heart hasn't stopped in the brief moments after being stung, then the pain is so excruciating and overwhelming that you immediately go into shock. The result is fatal if you're swimming alone. The chances of being stung and making it back to shore are nearly impossible.
The tentacles stick tightly to the skin and continue to release venom if not treated correctly and rapidly, compounding all the other horrors of the sting. Any attempt at removal of the tentacles while they are still active will worsen the sting and lead to greater injuries.
Severe stings lead to necrosis of the affected tissue, your skin is literally eaten away. The very few lucky survivors display deep and dreadful scars.
The severity of a sting depends on the size of the box jellyfish, the amount of tentacles involved, and the individual victim. Children are obviously more vulnerable, but older people and anyone who is not in prime physical condition has little hope.
If someone is stung
Call for Help - Phone 000
Yell for a lifeguard
Treat the victim - CPR
Treat the Sting - flood with vinegar
Box Jellyfish on the Move
- Killer Jellyfish Population Explosion
- The really bad news is that the box jellyfish and another equally poisonous species, Irukandji, are on the move. Scientists are warning that their populations are exploding and will pose a monumental problem unless they are stopped.
- Box Jellyfish Warning for Thailand Waters
- Previously it was thought that the box jelly fish was only around in Australian waters but they are on the migration path around various parts of the Asia pacific region.
Irukandji Syndrome
Even small, almost invisible, box jellyfish are dangerous. Irukandji Syndrome is a condition caused by the sting of the Irukandji, a very small box jellyfish. There is no antivenom.
If quickly and properly treated a single sting is normally not fatal, but at least two people have died from Irukandji sting.
As the jellyfish is very small, and as the venom is only injected through the tips of the tentacles instead of the entire lengths, the sting may barely be noticed and can feel like little more than a mosquito bite.
The basic symptoms develop within 20 to 30 minutes after being stung. They include severe low back pain; excruciating muscle cramps in arms, legs, belly and chest; sweating, nausea, anxiety, restlessness, vomiting, and headache.
Next to develop is severe hypertension, or high blood pressure, and at least one person died from brain haemorrhage within 30 hours after being stung.
Once again, flush the affected skin with vinegar.
Dangerous Creatures of Australia
Australia's Most Dangerous: Spiders, Snakes and Marine Creatures
Amazon Price: (as of 11/08/2009) 
Close Up and Personal
The BOX JELLYFISH is Australias invisible but deadly marine predator. A frightening death follows a sting from this amazing creature.
Chironex Fleckeri is the object of study by Dr Jamie Seymour, enior lecturer at the James Cook University in Queensland.
Remedy (for the fortunate few)
Victims of the box jellyfish quickly go into cardiac arrest so CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) takes priority over everything else.Get someone to call an ambulance! Dial 000
The victim will be in an enormous amount of pain, and quite possibly hysterical and uncontrollable. The tentacles will still be on the victim, looking like worms, or ribbons, the sting marks will look like whip-marks, swollen and red. Within a few minutes the marks will go frosty white as the skin dies.
Some people can be lucky. If tentacles have touched their legs, there's a better chance of survival than if they touched them on the chest.
Pour ordinary vinegar over the tentacles for at least 30 seconds. Only then can the tentacles be removed, otherwise you will just cause more venom to be released.
Many beaches where box jellyfish are present will have a bottle of vinegar stored on the beach next to the warning signs.
Ordinary domestic vinegar has saved scores of lives of unfortunate swimmers and there is no other first aid remedy that is recommended for jellyfish sting.
In Australia, white vinegar is a necessary item in your first aid kit.
Use pressure-immobilization of the limbs while the patient is transported to hospital where hopefully the antivenom is waiting.....
Safety First
- 1. Read the Signs
- 2. Never swim at night, and never swim alone
- 3. Have a bottle of vinegar close by
On the northern beaches, something as simple as a lycra stinger suit or even pantyhose will provide enough of a barrier from the tentacles to possibly save your life. Children should never be unprotected.
Kids Stinger Suit from Stingray
More Australian Wildlife
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Australia : Lensography of My Place
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G'day from Melbourne, Australia, where I put these pages together while looking out the window at the kookaburras. I have a number of lenses on Australia, some dealing with the creatures who bound across this land, some highlighting the different pl...
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Give the Box Jellyfish a Bite
elmikeo wrote...
Great lens, I have heard that it is true that you can pee on someone who has a jellyfish sting but I wasn't really sure if I believed that. Very informative.
Mike- http://www.onedollarglobeinsurance.com
Posted November 05, 2009
ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...
The jelly fish show up on our shores in August and September. I stay out of the water then. I'm not about to be stung.
Thanks for Sharing
Lizzy
Posted June 26, 2009
TopStyleTravel wrote...
Great information for travelers. While most have an uneventful vacation. It is best to be informed before we travel to an unknown destination, anywhere in the world.
Posted March 14, 2009
Jobanjo wrote...
Scary stuff indeed. I did the East coast of Australia for a couple of months last year ... it was a roo that tried to kill me ... then the sand flies tried to finish me off!!! :) If I ever return I'll be avoiding these little fellas at all costs!
Posted September 29, 2008
10% of my income goes to continue the work of Fred Hollows in treating avoidable blindness and improving indigenous health.Photo : Khim Rath, who can now see after a successful cataract operation, Kampong Chhnang province, Cambodia.
Blindness is a significant public health issue in Cambodia. Over 160,000 people are blind and an additional 20,000 become blind each year. The main cause of blindness is cataract, which can be treated by a simple 15 minute operation at an average cost of $25 (AUD$35).
About Susanna Duffy
Lensmaster susannaduffy, aka Susanna Duffy, has been a member since September 25 2006, has rated 3,801 lenses, favorited 114, and has created 194 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Ancient Roman Recipes". See all my lenses
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