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| This Photo Isn't Featured in Florida's Tourism Campaign |
(CNN) -- Hundreds of people trying to enjoy the Memorial Day weekend on Atlantic beaches in central Florida encountered an unwelcome surprise: swarms of purplish, stinging jellyfish. Although none of the stings was believed to be serious, officials said two people who were stung were taken to hospitals after suffering from respiratory distress. It was unclear whether the distress was directly caused by the sting or came from a pre-existing medical condition. "Most of the stings are being reported on the ankles, but others have been getting it on the chest, arms, you name it," Witcher said. He said victims were being treated by a vinegar solution stocked at the various lifeguard stations. "We have that solution there at all times, but we knew that we were going to have a lot of people out here this weekend," Witcher said. "These jellyfish are not a major threat, but they are annoying."
See, this is what people down south don't get. They come up here bragging about their warm ocean, their pristine beaches, the sun, yada, yada, yada. No one ever mentions the inhospitable sea creatures murking about in their waters that you have to dodge just to enjoy a swim in the bath water.
Say what you want about the freezing cold water at Hampton Beach but I know that I'll never have to navigate a mine field of jelly fish stinging your ankles, or god forbid your average sting ray or shark looking to throw down with some tourists in the shallows.
And this isn't to say that I don't enjoy the beach on vacations down south, it's just to say that I'm a bit more leery and watchful, it's a bit hard to relax wading out into the water once you've been stung by an amorphous blob a few times, that will haunt you for life.
