Hazards of the ocean

By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Jellyfish are almost entirely translucent and nearly invisible in the water; man-o-war have a blue bubble-like feature. Venom from both can cause pain, but are generally not life-threatening. Photos courtesy of the Waikiki Aquarium

"There are no sharks around here, are there?"

Regina was pleased to hear that the chances of Charlie getting attacked by a shark in two feet of water were rather slim. When she learned about other hazardous forms of ocean life out there, the visitor from Buena Vista, Mich., was even happier with her decision to stay on the beach.

Sharks have the legend and the lore, the rep and respect. Whether regarded as sacred 'aumakua or Jaws-like killing machines, they are ever high in the ocean-goer's consciousness.

But what of all those other ocean organisms that, every day, repel clumsy, curious, invasive, or oblivious humans with teeth, spine and pincher?

What about the stinging box jellyfish that show up after a full moon, or the Portuguese men-of-war that blow in with the trades, or even the needlefish that, when spooked, have been known to jump up and smack their biped tormentors?

Or how about the fireworms living under rocks, the wana (sea urchins) that look like rocks, the moray eels lurking in caves, or even the stinging limu (seaweed) floating placidly on the water surface?

"Ooh," said Fellows. "That's just creepy." Not just creepy, but likely painful if you don't know how your way around these bitey, stingy, pokey critters and plants.

Awareness isn't 100 percent effective, but it can radically reduce your chance of becoming a statistic.

While figures aren't yet available for 2003, the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File reported 60 cases around the world of people killed or injured by unprovoked shark attacks in 2002.

By comparison, on O'ahu alone there were 55 incidents of box jellyfish or Portuguese man-of-war stings serious enough to merit reports by lifeguards in 2002.

This doesn't come close to the actual number of stings that occur throughout the year, according to Ralph Goto, ocean safety administrator for the city's Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division. On a bad day, Goto said, hundreds of people will line up for first-aid treatment from lifeguards.

Take into account all the other sea creatures recreational swimmers might come into contact with and it's clear, from a probability standpoint, that you're better off scanning the water for bubbly blue man-of-war than 1,000-pound maneaters.

In 15 years of surfing, Janice Ogawa of Pacific Heights has had more than her share of man-of-war stings, coral cuts (yes, coral is composed of living organisms) and other sea-critter related injuries.

"The stings are the worst," she said. "You get that sick, familiar feeling when you realize what just happened, and then your leg or whatever starts burning.

"I'm pretty good about spotting them usually," She said. "But I still get stung every so often and it never gets easier."

Goto said box jellyfish and Portuguese man-o-war, two of the most frequent offenders, are at least easy to predict.

The venomous but not normally deadly jellyfish appear eight to 10 days after a full moon. Man-of-war, because they float close to the surface of the ocean, are often moved in the direction of the wind. Man-of-war are considered more hazardous because their stingers can extend farther than those of jellyfish. Even when separated from the rest of the animal, man-of-war stingers can remain active for days.

Jellyfish are almost entirely translucent and nearly invisible in the water; man-o-war have a blue bubble-like feature. Venom from both can cause pain, but are generally not life-threatening.

Waikiki Aquarium curator Jerry Crow said wise beach goers will consult with lifeguards and walk the beach themselves to check for man-o-war and jellyfish.

Still, he cautions, plenty of living things in the ocean can cause problems. Barnacles and oysters grow on rocks and have very sharp shells. Fireworms, which have venomous spines, live under rocks and in sand.

Many injuries can be avoided simply by paying close attention, Crow said.

Urchins and sponges can be very difficult to spot near rocks, but it pays to look. Venom from urchin spikes can cause severe pain and swelling. Stinging sponges can cause itchy or painful inflammation.

Moray and dragon eels, which live in caves or holes in rocks, don't sting but they do bite — hard.

"The tendency if you're bitten is to want to pull back, but their teeth curve inward, so you end up cutting up your finger pretty badly if you do that," Crow said. "It's better to try and stay with it and move with the animal until it takes a breath."

Barracudas and needlefish feed in shallow water and can attack if enticed or provoked. Barracudas have sharp, jagged teeth and powerful jaws, and are attracted by jewelry. Needlefish have long sharp jaws that can puncture skin and, as mentioned above, can jump out of the water if startled.

Stingrays very rarely inflict injury on humans, but when they do, the results can be extremely painful. In addition to their long whip-like tail, rays have a poisonous barb that punctures skin.

Craig Thomas, an emergency-room doctor for more than 20 years and co-author (with Susan Scott) of the book "All Stings Considered," said injuries from urchin punctures, coral cuts and jellyfish stings — generally in that order — are the most common ocean-related cases. Thomas has also treated eel bites, ray stings and nasty cuts from surgeonfish.

Excerpts from Thomas and Scott's book, the definitive source on hazardous marine life in Hawaiian waters, are available at www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/alsting1.html.

Thomas emphasizes the risk of injury from marine life is relatively small for beachgoers, especially compared to the risk of drowning or developing melanoma.

"You just have to be aware," he says. "If you catch a ray, it might slap you. If you catch a surgeonfish, you might get cut. If you're lobster hunting and you stick your hand in a hole, you might get a moray eel. If you stick a cone snail in your pocket, it'll poke you."

When ocean sinks its teeth into you

Here's a short list of potentially harmful Hawai'i sea-dwellers, and tips on how to treat their stings, scrapes and bites, based on information from Craig Thomas and Susan Scott's "All Stings Considered," and the Ocean Safety Division.

In all cases, consult a doctor if the injury is severe, if there is an allergic reaction, or if infection, swelling or other complications develop.

Portuguese Man-of-War

Where: Open ocean; bays and beaches during strong offshore winds

Type of injury: Sting

Treatment: Pick off visible tentacles with gloved hand, stick or other indirect means. Rinse with salt or fresh water to remove adhering tentacles. Apply ice for pain. Use hydrocortisone ointment and/or diphenhydramine for persistent itching.

Box Jellyfish

Where: Leeward shores, 8 to 10 days after a full moon

Type of injury: Sting

Treatment: Immediately douse the area with vinegar to keep undischarged nematocytes from "firing," thus preventing further stings. Do not rub the area and do not use hot water, which can cause the nematocytes to fire more. Use ice to relieve pain. Alcohol, meat tenderizer, and urine — all popular local remedies — do not work and may in fact be harmful.

Coral

Where: All depths

Type of injury: Scrapes, lacerations

Treatment: Gently pull the edges of the skin open and remove embedded coral with tweezers or by rinsing. Scrub gently with clean gauze or cloth soaked in clean, fresh water. Apply pressure to stop bleeding.

Barracuda

Where: Open waters, shallow bays, under floating objects

Type of injury: Bite

Treatment: For minor bites, gently pull the edges of the skin open and remove any embedded teeth with tweezers or by rinsing. Scrub directly inside the wound with clean gauze or cloth soaked in clean, fresh water. Apply pressure to stop bleeding.

Sponges

Where: All depths

Type of injury: Stings

Treatment: Rinse and dry the area, then lift spicules from skin with tape. Applying vinegar or rubbing alcohol may relieve pain. Use hydrocortisone ointment and/or diphenhydramine for persistent itching.

Sea Urchins

Where: Shallow reef areas to 100-foot depths

Type of injury: Punctures

Treatment: Pull out protruding spines. Spines are very brittle and probably will break.