TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Box Jellyfish in local waters

I was stung by a jellyfish swimming in the waters off cupecoy beach many years ago. I was alone at the time and got out of the water. I poured fresh water on the sting and packed it with wet sand. I always have benadryl in my beach bag and took a few. I was staying at the summit hotel at the time and informed the staff I was stung by a jellyfish. It was not a pleasant experience but nothing that would keep me from swimming a few days later.

Wife got stung in Anna Maria Island in Florida once and luckily the place we were staying immersed her foot in boiling water and vinegar and took the tentacles out that I could see in her foot. It was an agonizing experience for her.

Few years back on a cruise we did a snorkel excursion in Martinique. They took us to a spot that was infested with these same purple box jellyfish. Wife got hit on shoulder and wrist. Her pain was excruciating. Tour people said they noticed them in the water days prior but never informed us prior to entering the water. Wife spent the night in the infirmary with an IV drip. Took weeks before skin healed.

I was stung by a jellyfish, made a paste of Adolph's Meat Tenderizer and water, applied to sting and the swelling and pain was gone within half hour.

That mixture also works on bee stings and mosquito bites. Alergic reactions are a different thing.

WOW! Thanks for the heads up Scubaman!

Learned the Adolphs Meat Tenderizer trick in 1977 at Great Stirrup Cay on the MS Sunward II “Dive In” program.

Worked great for whatever kind of jellyfiah got me.

Immersed her foot in boiling water????

Pelican--MS Sunward II??? Been there, done that!!!

The Australian Box Jellyfish is about the size of a casino die. What size is the Caribbean Box Jellyfish?

About size of a quarter if I recall.

It was my first cruise. Havent had a bad one ever.

It was a good boat, formerly the a Cunard Adventurer.

I was stung while in Puerto Rico and they immediately put vinegar on it. Took the pain away almost instantly. I can imagine the boiling water would really take your mind off the pain of the jellyfish!

Boiling water is a common recommended initial treatment for jelyfish stings.

Actually, boiling water is not a recommended solution, as water generally boils at around 212 degrees Fahrenheit and would cause more severe pain, suffering and damage. Water heated to a temperature of between 105 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended for countering the effects of a jellyfish sting.