Jellyfish Sting

I got stung by a semi-transparent whitish gooey-looking jellyfish last weekend. My entire arm swelled up and became almost double its size (ok, I'm exaggerating a little). Lucky for me I'm not allergic to the stuff or I would have to be taken to the ER at the nearby hospital. Out of a group of 8 people, I was one of three that were stung. We'd hired a boat and gone out snorkelling from the Marina Bandar al Rowdha and within 10 minutes of jumping into the water, everyone was back on board again, three of us being stung, others feeling a terrible itch and burning sensation all over (it was in the water).

The guy at the Marina was happy to make his 100 rials, even if it meant not disclosing to us that we would probably get stung. I later heard from people that in the wintertime Omani waters are filled with jellyfish - the kind that sting. Whatever happened to people's conscience?

Anyway, here is the treatment to apply in case a jellyfish sting causes allergy; and it appears that vinegar is the popular medicine in such cases, just like when you get a needle stuck in your foot from sea urchins.

So, next time you hit the water in winter around the Gulf, make sure you check for jellyfish.