Jellyfish Stings 150 Swimmers At N.H. Beach

Jellyfish Stings 150 Swimmers At N.H. Beach - Photos - WMUR Manchester
RYE, N.H., July 22 (UPI) -- A large dead jellyfish caused panic at a New Hampshire beach when its still-potent tentacles stung up to 150 people, mostly children, officials said.

Lt. Charles Gallant of the Rye Fire Department said emergency officials were called Wednesday to Wallis Sands State Park and told that 125-150 people had been stung, the Boston Globe reported.

Earlier in the day, the jellyfish, roughly the size of a trash-can cover, had broken apart when park officials attempted to remove its carcass, and the floating pieces stung bathers in the water, said Gallant.

A jellyfish can keep its ability to sting for a short time after it has died, said Steve Spina, an assistant curator and jellyfish specialist at Boston's New England Aquarium.

"They do have an awful lot of tentacles. It can be fairly painful, especially if you're sensitive the way people are sensitive to other stings," Spina said.

Gallant said five children were taken to the hospital as a precaution pertaining to allergy concerns. They were later released. Lifeguards treated most of the children with vinegar and baking soda.

Spina said there have been reports of unraveled tentacles reaching up to 100 feet.

"I can imagine how a lot of people can get stung, with tentacles that long," he said.
as reported by UPI

Ok, I have a few opinions on this. First of all, I tend to think, what a bunch of wimps. Really? All 150 people were sensitive? I think it was more mass panic once they saw the size of that thing. They don't sting THAT badly. Bee sting hurts worse.
Second, was it really a good idea to drag that MF back to the shore? Seem to me they should have cleared the water first, or pulled it further out to sea, not toward the patrons.

I've seen red lion jellies this big. I'm not the only one. Yes, you pee your pants, but luckily you're in the ocean.
Here in Coney, we scream underwater and keep on swimmin'....