thimble jellyfish
 

Has anyone encountered thimble jellyfish (sea lice) in Turks and Caicos as early as first week of March?

Also, has anyone encountered thimble jellyfish in Grand Cayman as early as the first week of March?

I heard the thimble jellyfish are back now in the water at Turks & Caicos.Anyone know if this is true?Seems early!

I have never heard of thimble jellyfish! Do they look like a thimble? Are they really small?<BR>Just curious<BR><BR>

In 30+ trips to the Caribbean, I have seen them twice. Once in Grand Cayman in May and once in Provo in June.

I was in Provo last June, and the water was clear as glass. We had no jellyfish or any other varmints to worry about. We spent a good part of each day in the water snorkeling and swimming and had no problems at all.

We had thimble jellyfish in the water in Provo in April. You can't miss them, they &quot;blanket&quot; the first 10 - 20 feet at the water's edge. Literally millions of the things and yes, they are about the size and shape of thimbles. They were there in the morning for several hours, then mysteriously disappeared. They seem to show up during the March - June time period but it does not appear to be predictable as to when it will happen.

Saw them once in Grand Cayman in May, then the following year we went in March, and never saw any.

Eileen,<BR>We will be in Provo in April and are staying in a villa on remote Long Bay beach. Are the jellyfish dangerous? Did they sting anyone? I'm concerned for my 5 yr old!<BR>Thanks,<BR>Cindy

I am going about 40 days...but who's counting.<BR>This is the first time I have heard about thimble jellyfish, and have done quite a bit of research. I am desperate to know how dangerous they could be? We plan on snorkeling just about everyday.<BR><BR>Thanks!<BR>Erica

Thimble jellies are tiny, about the size of a pin head at the largest but more often the size of a pepper flake, and can cause a nasty itchy rash. Usually the problem arises from putting on a wet infested swimsuit back on without thoroughly washing in soap and drying it since they can remain toxic for a long time after getting trapped in your suit. It's when they get smushed in your suit that they excreet the chemical that causes the allergic reaction so where the suit is tight can be a prime site but they love the soft parts of the body, back of the knees, groin, etc. Quick fixes that seem to work are ammonia (spray with Windex with ammonia) or vinegar. Then use a topical ointment to soothe the itch. It can take a couple of weeks for the rash to disappear. Normally they appear March/April during their &quot;mating time&quot; (or whatever they do!) and produce the larvae. They float on the tides so where you might see them in the morning, the tide will change and they will be gone later in the day. <BR>Think in Florida they call it SeaBathers Eruption if you want to do a search.

Thank you karibislander!<BR>I feel a little better having some more knowledge on these nasty little jellyfish. Hopefully they will be gone by the time we get there, but if not, at least I know what to expect and be prepared.<BR>Again, thank you for the good post!