Tourists take
stings in stride

A jellyfish invasion
has had beaches on Oahu
on ouch alert since Monday

By Susan Kreifels
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

It's one Hawaii ritual that tourists don't like but are tolerating well.

People in the hotel business say the monthly invasion of stinging box jellyfish and Portuguese man-of-war hasn't hurt business so far, and they don't think it will.

Oahu's beaches facing south and west are suffering the third day of a particularly heavy attack that has left more than 800 people stung.

Hanauma Bay has been closed for two days and warning signs are up along Waikiki and Ala Moana beaches.

"People are pretty understanding," said Murray Towill, president of the Hawaii Hotel Association. "It's a cycle of nature. We're very fortunate that we have very few natural events that are detrimental."

City and county lifeguards reported more than 200 jellyfish sightings this morning in the Waikiki and Ala Moana areas. Diamond Head, Pokai Bay, Maili and Makaha beaches are also dangerous, and beach-goers were urged to stay out of the water at these locations.

Some of those who were stung required hospital treatment, but most were treated by lifeguards.

Capt. Kendall Rust, acting chief of Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division, said the man-of-war and jellyfish have been coming in seven to ten days after the full moon to mate in calm waters. The ritual, which lasts about three days, has been occurring regularly for the last five years.

Rust said nothing can be done to prevent it. "It's just education right now," Rust said, "keeping people out of the water at certain times."

During the mating, hotels and police are notified, he said.

Rust said the most dangerous time for stings is between daybreak and 9 a.m. before the light-sensitive creatures swim back to darker waters. A number of people have been sent to hospitals in ambulances, he said.

Bernie Caalim-Polanzi, spokeswoman for Hilton Hawaiian Village, said the hotel hadn't received complaints after they put up warning signs. Guests were using pools instead, she said.

Makiko Cummings, with Straub Doctors on Call, said the office had been "bombarded" with jellyfish-sting patients for the last two and a half days.

Some had been sent to the hospital emergency room, others were just watched carefully.

"They know there are warnings but they take chances," Cummings said.

"They accept it as something of nature and it's just unfortunate. I don't think it makes them feel they will not come back."