"WOULD YOU LIKE ICE-CREAM WITH THAT?"

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"WOULD YOU LIKE ICE-CREAM WITH THAT?"

Postby Eddie » July 21st, 2019, 11:46 pm

Went for a solo spin without the buffer of a rescue boat this afternoon. Heading down wind and confident enough to stand against the port shroud, I had a great view down into the water 'coz of the reduced reflectiveness of it's surface. (Angle of incidence and all that) When... loe and behold, two feet below the surface was an ENOOOORMOUS Jelly-Fish! About two feet in diameter (60cm to you young people) and a little more in length, it looked like a 'Barrel' jellyfish to me. Or a Rhizostoma pulmo to you more cultured folk. :geek:
Apparently they will sting you, especially if you make a noise akin to a Plankton. But only a little bit, as Plankton are so small that they require very little stunning. As the Jelly's sting is Alkaline, the cure is to be found within the neutralising effect that the acidity of vinegar offers. Plus hot water.
If you have a M.O.B. (Man Over Board) who comes face to face with one of these brainless beauties, you may well not have a cruet set with you, I believe their presence is in contravention of class regs. So... back to the bladder related cure as wee leans toward the acidic. More so if you like a lot of vinegar on yer chips. Although this is poo-poo'd in many quarters, apparently urea helps to dissolve the stuff that causes the stings to stick to your skin. ;) Or 'Any Port In A Storm'.
In 1988, the entire bay was peppered with literally thousands of fried egg/flying saucer shaped, two foot diameter, silver grey, firm as a punch bag Jellys that I observed from a parakite whilst being towed behind a ski boat at 100 feet. Floating just below the surface rendered them undetectable from the shore. They must have weighed 30 pounds, as I tried to refloat one with a spade that washed ashore.
I frequently sight the smaller Jelly's about the size of a Softball throughout the summer months, so make a full bladder part of your boat's inventory.
Eddie
 
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