KEY POINTS:
Thirteen people were treated for jellyfish stings in one day at the Mount Main Beach this week while veteran lifeguard Kent Jarman says the ones in the ocean at the moment are the largest he has seen.
Mr Jarman, who has patrolled the beach for 42 years, said he'd never seen specimens as big as the purple ones gliding through the Mount waters at the moment.
The largest he'd seen was 45 to 50cm in diameter, washed up on the shore on Monday.
"We're seeing the remnants of them, like a big dinner plate lying on the beach," he said.
Thirteen people had been treated for stings with warm water and a soothing gel, said head lifeguard Mike Copping.
Mr Jarman said jellyfish began turning up last month as the sea started to warm.
Besides the unusually large variety there are also smaller jellyfish in the water, common at this time of year, that are either transparent or purple in the centre with a white outer.
Mr Copping said there seemed to be a misconception among the public that a jellyfish sting was an almost life- threatening occurrence when in reality for most people it meant 15 minutes to half-an-hour of discomfort.
Mr Jarman said it was mostly inquisitive children being stung by jellyfish.
"The odd person gets a bit of a reaction to them," he said.
He said he treated a young girl on Sunday who suffered two welts on the back of her knee after being stung while swimming at Pilot Bay.
"Some of the kids have been crying a bit, it's more the shock of it, it's more uncomfortable than anything," he said.
He said children and young women with more sensitive and hairless skin were most vulnerable to the effects of a sting from a jellyfish.
Veterinarian Steve Alderson, who works at Bayfair Veterinary Hospital, said two labrador dogs had been treated recently for severe diarrhoea and vomiting after eating jellyfish on the beach. A third had been treated for a swollen face, possibly caused by a jellyfish sting while swimming.
In February and March each year, Mr Jarman said the common bluebottle jellyfish also arrived in Mount waters.
If stung:
You will experience an uncomfortable stinging sensation usually lasting for between 15 minutes and half an hour.
Seek medical attention if you have a serious reaction, for example welts or a rash appear on the skin.
Pour warm water on the sting immediately.
Products like Stingoes Gel or Spray may ease discomfort.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
