Today was a nice day so me and Dad went to Carne Beach, on the Roseland Peninsula."Well, what do you think this is? Its nothing vulgar, though it looks it. DONT TOUCH."It was a Portugese Man O War. (Sorry, no pics, unusualy none of us had a camera.)So My Dad turns it over with a stick and indeed it had that funny ridgeback that acts as a sail.The bit that impressed me was the colours; Very vibrant, pastels from red through purple to blue.Have you ever found one?
Portugese Man O War
- Thread starter Tengu
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As a boy one found me. I was playing in the waves on the beach near Mombasa. I remember seeing something floating on a wave, then pain. I don't remember the next couple of days, but I am told that I was delirious in bed being swabbed with ammonia. I had red welts down my back and legs as if someone had been scribbling on me with a marker. Apparently I was lucky to only have got a light touch!
Z
Z
We get them here, at the Eastern part. They have long tantacles where the poisonous stinging cells are. So please do not approach one bare footed!
A friends daughter got stung on her legs. Same experience as you, Zingmo, hospital, does not remember a day. She was treated with antihistamines and some neutralizing cream.
A friends daughter got stung on her legs. Same experience as you, Zingmo, hospital, does not remember a day. She was treated with antihistamines and some neutralizing cream.
I encountered them often growing up on the East Coast of the United States. But I was never stung. I always considered their rainbow of colors very beautiful.
Many years later, I spent some time in Hawaii as an adult. I was walking along the beach about 50' from the waterline. Lying in the sand in front of me is a large "Bluebottle," or Pacific Man o' War. I detour toward the water to avoid it. But I didn't count on its long tentacles, nearly eight feet long. I did not see them in the sand and had one brush my heel and over the top of my foot. It was very painful!
I ducked into a small grocery shop beside the beach looking for first aid supplies. The owner behind the counter told me to buy vinegar and pour it over the now red and swollen areas. When I reached my room I rinsed the areas with water, and while still in the shower poured the vinegar over them. It seemed to relieve the pain!
I was amazed that such a light brush with one could cause so much discomfort! I was lucky to get good advice from the store owner.
I still think their colors are gorgeous. But I give them a wide berth!
- Woodsorrel
Many years later, I spent some time in Hawaii as an adult. I was walking along the beach about 50' from the waterline. Lying in the sand in front of me is a large "Bluebottle," or Pacific Man o' War. I detour toward the water to avoid it. But I didn't count on its long tentacles, nearly eight feet long. I did not see them in the sand and had one brush my heel and over the top of my foot. It was very painful!
I ducked into a small grocery shop beside the beach looking for first aid supplies. The owner behind the counter told me to buy vinegar and pour it over the now red and swollen areas. When I reached my room I rinsed the areas with water, and while still in the shower poured the vinegar over them. It seemed to relieve the pain!
I was amazed that such a light brush with one could cause so much discomfort! I was lucky to get good advice from the store owner.
I still think their colors are gorgeous. But I give them a wide berth!
- Woodsorrel
The pain chemical in the sting depends on the shape of the molecule in sea water.
Anything that you can do to change the acidity is bound and predicted to change the shape of that chemical molecule.
Change the shape, change the function. Hard boiled eggs don't hatch.
Since heat is out of the question, change the acidity. Thus, a generous slopping of vinegar will help.
Laundry soaps are notoriously alkaline, the other end of the pH scale. They work, too.
Australian Sea-Wasps are really, really bad stingers.
No matter who is looking on, no vinegar? No laundry soap handy?
Pee on the affected skin. The urea in urine changes molecular shapes, very quickly.
Anything that you can do to change the acidity is bound and predicted to change the shape of that chemical molecule.
Change the shape, change the function. Hard boiled eggs don't hatch.
Since heat is out of the question, change the acidity. Thus, a generous slopping of vinegar will help.
Laundry soaps are notoriously alkaline, the other end of the pH scale. They work, too.
Australian Sea-Wasps are really, really bad stingers.
No matter who is looking on, no vinegar? No laundry soap handy?
Pee on the affected skin. The urea in urine changes molecular shapes, very quickly.
Pee is also sterile (in a healthy person).
Cut your foot or finger while bushcrafting? wee on it. It is a good sterile cleaning olution.
Not sure what I would do if I scratched my face though....
Cut your foot or finger while bushcrafting? wee on it. It is a good sterile cleaning olution.
Not sure what I would do if I scratched my face though....
MSG would work well. Monosodium glutamate is fairly acid.
Anything (as above) to wreck the shape of the venom molecules.
Change the shape = change the function.
Anything (as above) to wreck the shape of the venom molecules.
Change the shape = change the function.
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