The "Antigua 2019: Swimming With The Jellyfish" Story

Jefferson shows the first jellyfish he brought
from the water.  Click to enlarge.

It was an ordinary day.  10:30 am and the sun is intense as I look up the beach on Dickenson Bay and see this young man walking out of the water carrying something very large in his bare hands.  Within a few minutes he had a crowd gathered around him as he explained exactly what the jellyfish in his hands was capable of doing and what parts of his body you should avoid.  Dickenson Bay in on the North-West coastline of the island of Antigua.  Carol and I, as well as our friends Jere and Just Sue are taking our annual vacation together with a trip to the Caribbean island of Antigua.  The young man who risked getting stung today was Jefferson.  Tall, thin young man who only began work for the country of Antigua a few days ago.  

Closer view of the large jellyfish.

He was assigned to Dickenson Bay for two months to help protect those that swam in the warm waters of Dickenson Bay in the Caribbean Sea.  I began to question him about jellyfish and how he was able to capture it without getting stung.  He told me that the jellyfish have an umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles and are usually frightened of large objects such as swimmers, but when touched they can sting you with their tentacles.  

Back in the water once again after another sighting.

He explained how he uses his bare hands to grab the central part of the top of the jellyfish, turn it upside down immediately and slowly walk it from the water.  He showed those gathered around him the fish and told everyone that the purple edges and central purple parts of the jellyfish are what would sting you.  How he brought the jellyfish to shore without getting stung was amazing to all of us.  He told everyone that lemon juice or even vinegar would help relieve the pain if you would happen to touch a jellyfish.  He placed the fish at the rear of the ten-foot wide beach and when he turned back to the water pointed out another large one about forty feet offshore.  

Gathering the second jellyfish in his hands.

I looked and looked and didn't see anything, but before long he was back in the water and a short time later brought yet another very large jellyfish from the sea.  We talked about his job and the thirty-two year-old told me the government hired him to collect jellyfish from the sea to keep the bathers safe from their stings.  

Another closer view of the second jellyfish.  You can see purple on the edges.

Seems that jellyfish are usually not in the sea near Dickenson Bay this time of year, but the sea is a few degrees warmer than the past years, thus the return of the jellyfish to the area.  He told me it will only get worse with the seas beginning to increase in temperatures due to global warming.

Beachgoers searching for another jellyfish.

Interesting young man to talk with who saw first-hand the approach of global warming and what it will do to the oceans and seas of the world.  I told him I couldn't see what he was searching for in the water so we looked at the sea once again and he once again pointed out a dark spot near a buoy about 40 yards from the shore.  

Jefferson as he heads to the next beach.

As I tried to follow where he was pointing, it disappeared.  Shortly it resurfaced, even though I didn't see it, and he was back in the water once again to do what he was paid to do.  This time he was unsuccessful and after close to fifteen minutes he returned to the shore telling me it must have seen his motion and left the area.  He said, "They are there!  And, even thought they try to avoid humans, they can sting you if you touch any of the area that is purple in color.  After a few more minutes he put his hat back on his head, shook my hand and headed down the beach to search for more jellyfish.  Hope to see him again before we depart the island and talk more about his job.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.