# Jellyfish in North Carolina



## cheter (Jul 13, 2007)

I've heard the beaches have jellyfish!  How true is this?  Would like to plan a trip for 2008 in late June early July.  But, if there is jellyfish, no way.


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## lweverett (Jul 13, 2007)

Jellyfish, if there are to be any, get worse as the temperature of the water climbs.  Therefore, they would be at their worst at the end, rather than the beginning, of the summer.  It could be that people are speaking of jellyfish on the sound side instead of in the ocean.  I haven't seen any in the Virginia Beach ocean, and we are only 25-35 miles up the coast as the crow flies.


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## BSQ (Jul 13, 2007)

is there a particular beach along the carolinas coast you have in mind?  having just come back from some time at the shore at the beginning of the week, I can say I saw absolutely none, and have not read anything in our newspaper about em yet this summer.


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## cheter (Jul 13, 2007)

Thought about visiting somewhere around Nags Head.  When I was young we use to go there on family vacations.  I can remember the waves being BIG.  We live in Florida, just came home from Ormond Beach, 2 foot surf at the most.  We never encounted jellyfish in Nags Head, but I have read about them on-line.


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## Miss Marty (Jul 13, 2007)

*North Carolina - Outer Banks - Insider Guide*

*
Jellyfish*

Watch for jellyfish floating on the surface or in the water. While some can give little more than an annoying stinging sensation, others can produce severe discomfort. The Portuguese man-of-war is sometimes blown onto Outer Banks beaches and can be recognized by its distinctive balloon-like 
air bladder, often exhibiting a bluish tint. Man-of-war stings can be serious.

Anyone who is stung by the tentacles and develops breathing difficulties or generalized body swelling should be transported to the nearest emergency facility for treatment. In extreme cases, death can result from anaphylactic shock associated with man-of-war toxin exposure.

http://www.insiders.com/outerbanks/


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## Carolinian (Jul 13, 2007)

Jellyfish are not that common but do appear sometimes.  Usually when they do, it is a non-stinging harmless variety.


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## Judy (Jul 15, 2007)

I'm at the beach in North Carolina right now  Rodanthe, on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks.  There are no jellyfish.


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## KenK (Jul 15, 2007)

I've seen Jellyfish in the North NJ waters...in the Virginia Beach water, SC water and of course all around Florida.

In NJ, we have had beaches closed at times due to algae blooms....sometimes called Red Tide, but I think that might be an error....Brown looks more like it.

I've seen many complaints about the algae blooms in the Sanibel areas...the jellyfish along many other beaches.  It just seems sometimes impossible to determine.

Most beaches will have warnings posted or flags flying at lifeguard stands telling beach water quality status....and safety issues with rips and animals.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 16, 2007)

*Photo taken at Assateague Island (north of VaBeach)*


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## lawren2 (Jul 16, 2007)

Was in Kill Devil Hills June 23 thru 30 this year. Water temps in the mid-70s and not a jellyfish in sight.


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## Jeni (Jul 17, 2007)

We've been going to the Outer Banks for 20+ years now, since we were kids, and I only remember one time when I actually saw jellyfish.  I see them at least once a year in Virginia Beach, Buckroe Beach, Yorktown Beach.  I think it was in the very late 90s, or early 2000s, that we were in Duck and a storm came in overnight, bringing tons of jellyfish with it, p. man of war too.  It was so bad you could hardly walk the tide line.  However, I really cannot recall seeing jellyfish any other time, so it certainly would not keep me from booking it.

Jeni


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## Bucky (Jul 17, 2007)

We have more important things to worry about on our beaches, unfortunately.   http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=triangle&id=5481796


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## Carolinian (Jul 18, 2007)

Bucky said:


> We have more important things to worry about on our beaches, unfortunately.   http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=triangle&id=5481796



Hadn't seen that report from the Crystal Coast, but such things on very rare both there and on the OBX.


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## tlwmkw (Jul 18, 2007)

*We saw a shark in the surf recently...*

We were in Kiawah, SC.  Kids (age 4 and 7) were in the shallows and the two fins went by in very shallow water about 10 feet away.  Looked fairly small but we got out of the water pretty quick.  Thought about running up and down the beach shouting like in Jaws but thought better of it.  Asked at the nature center there and they said it was a bonnet shark and wouldn't harm humans.  Sure gave us a scare.


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