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Beachgoers warned about jellyfish washing ashore

Watch your step; Elbow Beach was awash with jelly fish and Portuguese Man o’ War. No one was reported to have been stung and with any luck the tide will wash them back out to sea.

The public are being asked to use extra caution on beaches after hundreds of jellyfish and Portuguese Man o’ War have washed up on the Island’s shores.Yesterday, members of the public told The Royal Gazette that they saw thousands of the stinging creatures along Elbow Beach.“It was like running in a field of land mines,” one wrote. “There were no warning signs on the beach or anything so no one knew if they were dangerous or not.“You could see a bunch in the water too, so lots of tourists were avoiding going in.”A Government spokesman said yesterday: “It is that time of year again as we are unfortunately currently experiencing a large amount of both Man o’ War and jellyfish in out South Shore waters and beach areas.“We would like to advise the public to take care and caution while engaging in swimming or wading in out South Shore parks, and simultaneously encourage the use of our North Shore parks as they currently pose lower risk for the presence of these marine animals at this time.“It is important that businesses such as tour/transport agencies directly transporting clients to a National Park with ocean access are in fact cognizant of warning their clients of the potential danger of these animals.”While most jellyfish that pass through Bermudian waters are relatively harmless, the sting of a Portuguese Man o’ War can cause pain and severe welts. In large quantities, the venom can lead to fever, shock and, in rare cases, even death.