How to Avoid Hazards at the Beach Such As Jellyfish & Algae

Kicking off your shoes and walking barefoot along the beach with the sand squishing between your toes can be an enjoyable, freeing experience. However, you may see bell-shaped, glassy bodies of jellyfish washed ashore in numerous shapes and sizes. Although jellyfish will not attack you, they do have harmful stingers. While strolling along the beach, you may also encounter what scientists call "harmful algal blooms" -- HABs, also known as red tides. The brown, green or red-orange HABs produce toxins harmful to you. Avoiding hazardous algae and jellyfish at the beach will help keep you safe, enhancing your beach experience.

Things You'll Need

• Shoes
• Fresh water
• Air-conditioned room
• Antihistamines
• Particle filter mask

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Instructions

Jellyfish

• 1

  Wear shoes when walking along the water's edge and on the beach shore to help avoid jellyfish stings and scratches.

• 2

  Look carefully where you walk, ensuring you step over or walk around any jellyfish you see washed up on the beach.

• 3

  Examine dead jellyfish cautiously, without touching them, since the dead jellyfish can still sting you. Even severed jellyfish tentacles washed up on the beach can sting you. The stinger discharges poison quickly and automatically as it enters your skin with the pressure of a gun's bullet.

Algae

• 4

  Check the marine forecast before going to the beach to see what direction the wind is blowing. Winds blowing offshore have fewer amounts of toxins in the air.

• 5

  Leave the water if you see foam, discolored water or dead fish washed up along the beach. The foam and brown, red, dark-green or light-green discoloration comes from high amounts of toxic algae or HABs.

• 6

  Walk away from the shore if you have problems breathing near the water, which may help get rid of the respiratory symptoms. Leave the beach and go indoors in a room with air conditioning, staying there until the HAB passes if you cannot walk away from the HABs.

• 7

  Rinse your body immediately and thoroughly using fresh water if you get wet with water containing HABs. HABs can cause irritation to your skin and burning in your eyes.

• 8

  Use over the counter antihistamines to help decrease the temporary symptoms from breathing HAB toxins, which include teary eyes, coughing and sneezing. Wear a particle filter mask, which can also help decrease symptoms. If you have respiratory problems, such as asthma, stay away from the red tide or HAB areas to avoid toxins.