Dan's Papers - August 1, 2008 - Going with the Flow

If Alfred Hitchcock were alive today and in the Hamptons, he would certainly remake The Birds and title it The Jellyfish. Whether you think the apocalyptic "revenge of Mother Nature" theme is appropriate for the great numbers of jellyfish in East End waters, or that their presence marks just one of the many recurring cycles of the ecosystem, the fact remains that the jellies are here.

Peconic Baykeeper Kevin McAllister shared his knowledge about jellyfish, also known as "the topic of the 2008 summer." He said, "They're not extremely mobile. They're just jellyfish and they're just going with the flow."

McAllister, not surprisingly, is right. Jellyfish move relative to currents, winds and the tidal cycle at any given spot on any given day. One woman who lives on Napeague Bay in Amagansett explained, "The jellyfish are always there, in great numbers, but usually much farther out. That's the difference now - they're much closer to the shore." The large numbers of invertebrates have been disrupting swimming time at day camps and have caused many swimmers to hang up their towels because of the poisonous sting. The good news for everyone is that in the past few days it seems that there are fewer culprits floating around the waters. But that doesn't mean the problem is over, because similar to Hitchcock's film, just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...you could be the next tentacle-wrapped victim. Following is information on the creatures in our neck of the woods.

You'll find them in the harbors, bays and oceans throughout the entire summer. They look like little, clear, spherical-shaped blobs. With series of tiny lines or stripes going through them, comb jellies don't have streaming tentacles, and their sting is very mild - in fact, humans and larger fish don't feel it. One fun fact is that comb jellies are phosphorescent, which means they glow at night. So if you see round, shimmering things in the water late at night, remember that they're most likely not long-lost hidden treasure, even if their radiance is priceless.

Much larger than comb jellies, these white and clear bell-shaped jellies have over 250 tentacles and pack a mild sting. They can be found in the bays, harbors and ocean. Looking at them from above, you may see a few purplish horseshoe shapes on the top of their discs. They usually show up when the water is warmer, in August through late September. They have a very unique but predictable reproductive cycle called "budding." So be aware of large masses of Advil or Tylenol-sized gelatinous capsules, because those are baby moon jellies. They drift in packs the size of a few swimming pools in length and feel like Jell-O. Although touching one or two of these gelatinous capsules will not hurt you, touching 10,000 will REALLY hurt.

One of the largest species of jellyfish, these can be found mostly in the harbors and bays. It's unusual to find them in the ocean, but there are always exceptions to the rule. Lion's mane jellyfish range in color from deep magenta to purple, to a light orange and tan, and are typically seen floating near the water's surface. Although rarely fatal, their sting is painful and can cause a severe burn.

Now that you can recognize these jolly jellies it's important that you remember what a magical place the sea is. McAllister added, "People connect to our local waters in many different ways - whether it's spiritually, or recreationally, through fishing. We should marvel at the different types of life that are present. Jellyfish are not boogiemen."