Hey Stnkygoat,

I've sailed completely around Australia back in '88 and never noticed the PG M-O-W. seen some bloody big Blueys though (up to 3-4 inches long, but definately Blueys), and had more than my fair share of the little buggers around various body parts. Even had a piece of tentacle go up the inside of my spring suit leg once whilst kiting when hit by a wave. The tentacle lodged and was held in place against my inner thigh by the wetty. (Lucky it didn't go any further )

Didn't feel anything for a few seconds then Holy sh1T batman, major hurties! Ever tried kiting along in the surf and trying to roll up the leg of your springy to try and find a 1cm piece of Bluey tentacle given you what for? It's not pretty!

Ah summer in Sydney, the glorious joy the Nor Easter brings, and with it one of natures most hideous creatures - Definately Yin and Yang! No Blueys on the west Coast

Good winds

Bring on the Glaucus Atlanticus! Respect!!!

Blue bottle and Portugese man-o-war are both common names for the same animal, Physalia physalis. It is actually a colonial hydroid, with lots of different animal units or zooids making up the colony. Google "physalia" and you'll find heaps of info.

First Aid: for all marine cnidarians (physalia, box jelly, irukandji) first aid is now flood with vinegar and then use pressure bandage if severe. Ice can also help with physalia.

Prevention is always best cure - cover up with lycra if you are in tropical waters, especially in summer and or if kiting well offshore.

Dr Andy Lewis
Marine biologist - Magnetic Island NQ

back in my surfing days i had a tentacle wrap around my arm in the shore break at miami . it was about 6mm diameter and about a metre long . hurt like hell . i went home had a shower and laid on my bed in agony the pain was throbbing up my arm . when the pain reached my sholder i must have passed out because i woke up about 2 hours later with all pain gone i thought i was going to die . i had read about man of wars with tentacles of up to 12metres long so i presumed that was what i was stung by don't ever want to get tangled up with one of them again

I was stung by a HUGE bluebottle last summer in Lancelin when kiting. It hit me behind my knee and as I kited back to the beach cursing it was flapping behind me in the wind only holding on by a tentacle!

I was soooo horrible! I started burning and then the venom must have started moving through my body and went to the glands in my groin and then in the armpits and down my arms!!!! I couldn't do anything but lay in the back of the car a whimper while my leg burned and my whole body throbbed and ached. It was a few hours before it wasn't hurting in my armpits anymore.

Ive been stung by all sorts of jellies and always have a bad reaction, think Im a little alergic.

The worst was in Malaysia when I was a grom. I was swimming with my brother and I started to swim like a jelly and said "Ha look at me Im a jellyfish!" Then as I was laughing I swung my arms behind my head and WHAM! I swam backwards into a jellyfish that was half a meter in diamter across the bell with MASSES of tentacles flowing behind them. The same thing happened with my armpits and I was in agony for the whole night aching and throbbing.( I was only a skinny kid so it was really bad) I had scars for about two years after that one!

Small blueys get washed up on the Mandurah beaches around late winter and early spring.
The blue bubbles become inflated in the warm sun and blow out skin-tight.
The kids and I walk along the beach and pop the suckers.
POp,poP,PoP,pOP.
Sick sh1t hey.