Updated at 8:00 a.m., Friday, May 11, 2007
Box jellyfish invasion closes Hanauma Bay
Advertiser Staff
City parks and recreation officials, at the urging of city lifeguards, have closed Hanauma Bay today because of a large influx of box jellyfish, said lifeguard spokesman Bryan Cheplic.The popular marine preserve was closed at 7:35 a.m. this morning "and we're in the process of clearing out the bay," Cheplic said.
No one was stung this morning but lifeguards counted more than 20 box jellyfish on the beach and "countless more in the water" during low tide, Cheplic said.
"It typically gets progressively worse as the tide gets higher," Cheplic said.
Lifeguards counted more than 600 box jellyfish on Waikiki beaches this morning. But, unlike Hanauma Bay, city officials cannot close popular sites like Ala Moana and Waikiki beaches because of their size, Cheplic said.
