Jellyfish Are Infiltrating Ocean City: The Invisible Sting Lurking Beneath the Waves

Ocean City beachgoers are keeping a closer eye on the water this summer as jellyfish sightings and stings appear to be reaching unusual levels.

Jellies Everywhere!

While some swimmers are spotting jellyfish floating along the surface, many of the encounters happening right now are coming from something much harder to detect — jellyfish drifting just below the surface where swimmers can’t see them.

That’s what makes these stings so surprising. A swimmer can be enjoying the waves one moment and suddenly feel the sharp burn of tentacles wrapping around an ankle, leg or arm without ever seeing the jellyfish responsible.

An Influx of Stings

Reports indicate that approximately 2,000 beachgoers have been treated for jellyfish stings in Ocean City, Maryland, during a recent two-week stretch in late summer, highlighting just how widespread the issue has become.During one recent 1½-hour stretch on a sandbar, two out of three people were stung on the ankle. In both cases, tentacles wrapped around their feet, leaving behind painful welts and a reminder that these creatures can be hiding anywhere in the water. Another family reported their son getting stung ten times!

Photos of jellyfish encounters are also making their way around social media, including images of children who have been stung — some even across the face — after unknowingly coming into contact with tentacles.

It's That Time of Year

August is typically a time when jellyfish become more common in Ocean City, but many locals and visitors say this year feels different. With hotter temperatures and warmer ocean waters, the number of jellyfish being reported along the shoreline appears noticeably higher than in years past.Even local pharmacies are seeing the impact. One Ocean City CVS recently had a display on the counter featuring Benadryl, hydrocortisone creams and numbing agents as customers came in looking for relief after painful encounters in the water.

Lurking Beneath the Surface

For beachgoers, the biggest challenge is that jellyfish aren’t always easy to spot. Unlike a large wave or a visible object floating nearby, these nearly transparent creatures can drift silently beneath the surface, waiting for an unsuspecting swimmer to cross their path.

Best Advice?

The best advice? Pay attention to what’s happening around you. If swimmers nearby are getting out of the water after stings, or if jellyfish are spotted along the shoreline, consider moving to another area of the beach. Ocean City’s warm summer waters are a major draw for visitors, but this year swimmers may want to add one more thing to their beach checklist: look before you leap — because what you can’t see may still sting.