Posted at 12:04 p.m., Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Hundreds of jellyfish showing up at beaches
Advertiser Staff
The swimming lagoon areas between the Kapahulu groin and Duke Kahanamoku’s statue at Kuhio Beach was closed today because of a large influx of box jellyfish.Two people stung today at about 9 a.m. in the area required hospital treatment.
From 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., lifeguards reported treating 50 people for stings at Kuhio Beach.
More than 1,000 box jellyfish were found this morning on Kuhio Beach, said Rob Miller of the city Ocean Safety Division. He said lifeguards normally find 150 to 300 box jellyfish on the first day of an influx, which occurs 10 days after a full moon.
Lifeguards found about 30 box jellyfish at Ala Moana.
Box jellyfish will be around through Friday, Miller said.
Miller advises that people with known allergies to stings should stay out of the water. Lifeguards are equipped to treat stings but an effective treatment is to apply vinegar to the sting area, he said.
Other areas sometimes affected by box jellyfish invasions are Hanauma Bay and north- and west-facing shorelines such as Waimea Bay and popular beach sites like 'Ehukai, Sunset, Ma'ili and Makaha.
