MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) – There’s been a rather high number of jellyfish in the waters off Myrtle Beach. Lifeguards said they easily treated at least 100 people Monday for jellyfish stings, and they expect it to be that bad, all this week.
For the first time in a while, there are more people sitting on the beach than swimming in the ocean. The Tucci family is in town from Chicago. Nine year old Lilly said she was just trying to enjoy her vacation.
“I was just swimming, and I went over a wave and I think it hit me.”
She described the pain as scary.
“It was like burning really bad, it felt like something sharp cut you.”
Her older sister Emily also got stung.
“It was like really tingly, kind of like razor burn, but like bad, if you had razor burn and then walked into the ocean, that is what it felt like for a while.”
Nick Jackson, the general manager of John’s Beach Service said jellyfish are always active the first week in August.
“Usually around this time of year there’s always you know, a dramatic increase in stings.”
Emily can agree the stings have been dramatic.
“I got stung, like three of my team members got stung, our coach got stung and then one of our friends talked to her friend that’s down here and eight out of the ten girls got stung the same day.”
Unfortunately, warmer water causes the busy jellyfish activity but lifeguards are armed and ready for the influx of stings.
“We have a water ammonia concoction we use basically it is about two thirds water, and then one third part ammonia, spray it on it and it just helps to disintegrate the little stingers that are caught on the wound.”
Some people asked News13 if urine could help a jellyfish sting if you couldn’t get to a lifeguard stand. Jackson said it actually could.
“There is a bit of ammonia in your urine so that can help, that is the good old fashioned way but we don’t go around peeing on legs.”
The Tucci sisters said they’re taking the safe road and won’t worry about getting stung again.
“We are not getting back in the water,” Emily Tucci said.
The general manager of the lifeguard service said most of the jellyfish will be gone in about two weeks. After that, it won’t be a huge concern again until next year.