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Nicole Michalik

Clinging Jellyfish Are Taking Over The Jersey Shore; Here’s How To Avoid Getting Stung

By Nicole Michalik
SIDMOUTH, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 17: Jellyfish that have been washed up on Sidmouth beach by yesterday's ex-hurricane Ophelia are seen in Sidmouth on October 17, 2017 in Devon, England. People have been warned to take extra care close to the coastline today after reports of deadly Portugese man o'war being washed inland by ex-hurricane Ophelia. The so called 'Floating Terror', which is in fact not a jellyfish but a floating colony, has long tentacles that can cause a painful sting and be fatal in extremely rare cases. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

What a time in the ocean! Especially the Atlantic Ocean. First it was sharks moving in and making their presence known, and now this. Clinging jellyfish are taking over the Jersey Shore and we have some tips on how to avoid getting stung.

Beach lovers are warned to keep their eyes out for the small but mighty creatures, which attach themselves to algae or marine vegetation in bay and estuarine waters and can inflict powerful stings, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

“I think what the DEP is trying to let the public know is that there are these clinging jellies in the water,” said Christine Thompson, an associate professor of marine science at Stockton University. “So, you know, exercise caution if you’re in an area that has submerged vegetation.”

I got bit by a jellyfish once in the Outer Banks. I go to the Jersey Shore 90% of the time, but it was actually in North Carolina where it happened. I remember the water was so warm and I was just having the best time and all of a sudden I felt stings and I was like, what is this? I ran out of the water and bam, I had welts all over my legs. It’s been so hot in the Delaware Valley, it would stink if we couldn’t go in the water because of the clinging jellyfish. I guess the good part is that you can see them and they aren’t as harmful as getting a bit by a shark or another large fish.

So if you’re at the shore, clinging jellyfish are taking over, but if you keep an eye out, you can avoid getting stung. Also, anyone who spots a clinging jellyfish is asked to take a photo, if safely possible, and send GPS coordinates to joseph.bilinski@dep.nj.gov.

  • First a Teen Was Bitten By A Shark at the Jersey Shore

    Maggie Drodz-Dowski, 15, from Chester County, PA, was surfing the weekend before Memorial Day in Stone Harbor when she got several cuts on her foot, which officials said were consistent with a shark bite.

  • Then A Great White Was Spotted

    Penny has been tracked having a great time swimming up and down the east coast. Penny is a young female great white shark, who was 10 feet, 3 inches long when she began being tracked last month. A shark’s tracker “pings” when it breaks the surface of the water.

  • How About the Shark That Almost Jumped on the Fishing Boat

    This adventurous father/daughter fishing duo were out on the ocean just off the Jersey Shore having a fun day of bonding when a massive shark jumped on their boat to try and take their catch!  They happened to catch it on video which makes it even more awesome.

  • Look At These Shark Bites!

    “After careful examination, it has been ascertained by the New Jersey State Southern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office that the injuries sustained by the surfer are consistent with those typically associated with a shark of unknown size and type,” Stone Harbor officials said.

  • Clinging Jellyfish - Sounds Like a Horror Movie

    Can you imagine just having a great time cooling off in the ocean, jumping waves, enjoying body surfing or using a bougie board and BAM stung by a clinging jellyfish! And the word clinging makes it even more scary, like they are hard to get off.

  • Here's Hot to Not Get Stung

    To avoid coming in contact with a clinging jellyfish, the public is urged not to wade into areas where the species has been observed. Wearing waders and long-sleeved clothing into those waters reduces the risk of being stung.

    Storm Ophelia Washes Up Portuguese Man o' War Jellyfish On The Shore At Sidmouth

    SIDMOUTH, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 17: Jellyfish that have been washed up on Sidmouth beach by yesterday’s ex-hurricane Ophelia are seen in Sidmouth on October 17, 2017 in Devon, England. People have been warned to take extra care close to the coastline today after reports of deadly Portugese man o’war being washed inland by ex-hurricane Ophelia. The so called ‘Floating Terror’, which is in fact not a jellyfish but a floating colony, has long tentacles that can cause a painful sting and be fatal in extremely rare cases. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

  • There's A Map To Track The Jellies

    An interactive map is updated weekly with confirmed clinging jellyfish locations. Scientists from the NJDEP and Montclair State University are monitoring areas where the species is established and investigating reported sightings and places with suitable clinging jellyfish habitats.

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