News you can use: jellyfish edition
Jellyfish are often a problem for swimmers at Carolinas beaches this time of year, but apparently it is particularly bad down around Wrightsville and Carolina beaches.
I recent spent a week at Ocean Isle and saw nary a one -- a little to my surprise, given the heat. But it's a big deal: Even a small jellyfish sting will make you miserable for a couple of hours. (I speak from sad experience here.) A jellyfish once wrapped itself around my brother Frank's thigh, and as I recall, if he could walk for at least a day afterward, he darned well didn't want to. Even a moderate-size jellyfish might well send you to the ER.
First aid? A 5-percent acetic acid solution, more commonly known as white vinegar, is your best bet. Meat tenderizer and sodium bicarbonate also will help in a pinch. If you do use meat tenderizer, it needs to come off within 15 minutes, and rinse it off with SALT water, not fresh. (More first-aid info here.)
Enjoy the beach.
