From The Blog

Stay Safe From Stings on Kiawah’s Beaches

Everyone loves a beach day on Kiawah. With the summer season approaching you are probably spending more time in our warmer waters – and so are several native species of jellyfish and stingrays. They mean no harm, but it is always best to keep your distance if you spot one. Keep your beach days happy and sting-free by knowing what creatures you might encounter and how to respond to a sting. 

 

COMMON STINGING CREATURES

 

AVOIDING INJURY

If you are in the ocean and can’t see your feet, you likely would not be able to spot a stingray on the ocean floor either. It is recommended that you do the “stingray shuffle” – shuffling your feet across the sand underwater instead of picking up your feet as you walk. This can help prevent an accidental misstep onto one of these creatures, resulting in a sting. 

Cannonball jellyfish are most commonly seen in our area, and lucky for us, most humans can’t feel their sting. However, beware of any jellyfish with long tentacles. They sting, so stay away.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE STUNG 

Get out of the water immediately and contact Beach Patrol.

The Town of Kiawah Island Beach Patrol continuously monitors our coasts – if you see a Beach Patrol vehicle drive by on the beach, flag them down. If they aren’t around at that time Beach Patrol can be reached at 843-518-2880. You may want to save this number in your phone.

For a stingray sting, the best thing to do is to soak the sting in the hottest water you can possibly stand for at least 30 minutes. 

For jellyfish stings, start by rinsing the affected area with sea water and remove any visible tentacles using tweezers or the edge of a bank card, avoiding scraping or rubbing. Then soak in very hot water for at least 30 minutes. 

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