03-03-2025
Aussie beach plagued by 'masses' of bluebottles
A popular Aussie beach has been covered in blue after thousands of bluebottles washed up onto the sand on the weekend, forcing many hopeful swimmers to stay dry and others to swim elsewhere.
Onshore winds blew the stingers onto Maroubra Beach in Sydney on Sunday and it looked like the sand was covered in clusters of shiny blue plastic from the pictures taken by beachgoers. Nippers competing at the beach had to relocate due to the risk of stings , however, in true Aussie fashion, some swimmers still chose to hit the waves.
"Randwick Council Lifeguards do not close beaches when bluebottles are sighted, but instead erect signs in and around the flags to warn beachgoers," a council spokesperson told Yahoo News about the recent onslaught of blueblottles.
Sydney man Greg Tannos told Yahoo News there were "masses of them" and it appeared the winds blew "just one big colony" on the beach. He was recently stung by one too.
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Bluebottles float on top of the water and are at mercy of the wind thanks to their bubble-like gas filled sack. They are an unwelcome summer time visitor to many parts of the east coast and are easily recognisable from their colour — and painful sting.
It feels like an Aussie rite of passage to get stung by a bluebottle, and due to the "extremely painful sting", the experience often stays with swimmers long after the reddened marks disappear from their skin. Tannos explained the stings feel like you're "going into an electric shock in the water and then it keeps getting worse".
Up to 30,000 bluebottle stings are reported annually, however, no deaths have been recorded from the stingers.
"While bluebottle stings are very painful, they are generally not dangerous to humans," the council spokesperson said.
It is important not to rub the sting area.
Carefully remove the blue tentacles with your fingers.
Rinse the area with sea water.
Ice the area.
If hot water is available, place the affected area under the hottest water you can comfortably tolerate.
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