Marine stingers go to war on west coast

By WAYNE THOMPSON and AINSLEY THOMSON

Georgia Rian was enjoying a swim at Piha yesterday when she felt an excruciating pain in her hand.

After running in panic from the water, the 10-year-old was treated for what lifeguards and medics believe to be a new danger for swimmers at Auckland's west coast beaches.

Lifeguards have treated 20 cases of severe reactions to stings since Boxing Day at Piha and neighbouring surf beaches, and surf staff say the Pacific man-of-war - a bluebottle jellyfish rarely seen here - could be to blame.

And the bad news is that the stings appear to be resistant to - and possibly made worse by - traditional remedies such as applying vinegar to the sting.

An Australian expert says westerlies have blown small numbers of the jellyfish on to Auckland's west coast, where they are mingling with the usual bluebottles.

The man-of-war's tentacles stretch up to 2m and fire paralysing stings at any creature that brushes up against them.

Georgia Rian said the pain in her arm was incredible.

"It is way worse than a bee sting."

Lifeguard Chris Deacon helped to treat Georgia. He did not think the sting was from the common bluebottle.

"She is a very brave little girl, because she was in a lot of pain."

Georgia's mother, Susan Rian, last night said Georgia had recovered from the fright of getting the sting, but her hand was still sore.

At neighbouring Muriwai Beach yesterday, a woman fainted after being stung and was flown to hospital for a check up by the WestpacTrust rescue helicopter.

Patrol captain Lloyd Herbert said the woman seemed dazed when leaving the surf.

An angry rash showed on the back of her legs, chest and arms but it was not known whether it was caused by a man-of-war.

She is the fifth west coast bather to be taken to hospital since Boxing Day.

Last week, a Piha swimmer's reaction to a sting led lifeguards to suspect he was having a heart attack, because he was complaining of strong pains in his arm and chest and difficulty breathing.

The president of Northern Region Surf Lifesaving, Tim Jago, said lifeguards reported reactions to the stings and wanted to know whether the attacks were the result of a new type of marine stinger.

Australian scientists had confirmed two distinct species of bluebottle were being found in NZ.

An adviser to Surf Life Saving Australia, Dr Peter Fenner, said the familiar bluebottle had a single stinging tentacle.

But the man-of-war had multiple stinging tentacles.

It left welts on the skin and often resulted in muscle pains and cramps on the back, stomach and chest. Victims could have difficulty breathing.

Dr Fenner advised pouring cold, fresh water on to a sting, removing any tentacles stuck to the skin and applying ice packs.

Using acetic acid, such as vinegar, could prompt adhering jellyfish tentacles to release more venom - making the sting worse.