A sting in the tail
Article for the Majorca Daily Bulletin for the week beginning July 25th 2023. I decided to write this week about my experience of getting stung by Jellyfish in the cove at Cala San Vicente (Mallorca), as this week parts of the cove have been closed off to swimmers for that reason. Read below a section of the chapter taken from my forthcoming book, 'Not quite living the dream'.
So, here I am one late afternoon with my three-quarter length shorts and white pasty legs on show, all set to go into the sea. I watched an Osprey that was showing well in the area and a Booted Eagle had passed high over the ridge. At the water’s edge however, I noticed a large number of purple coloured Jellyfish about the size of a hand. They seemed to be motionless and washing up gently onto the sand. They all seemed to be on the left side of the cove by the protruding rocks. I had heard stories of people getting stung by Jellyfish and the discomfort it can cause, but I had a plan. There is a large rock that protrudes out of the water about fifty yards out, which previously I have swum around and then come back. Besides, all the Jellyfish were on the left of the cove, so I headed off to the right hand side. What could go wrong!
All was well. I circled the rock, even taking the time to watch a Shag and an Audouin's Gull that was flying quite close in. Contented with my little swim I began to make my way back to shore. After all I was not looking to do a cross-channel swim, just to merely cool off and get a little exercise to make me feel better for not eating too well that day. Suddenly I became aware of a sharp stinging pain in my lower right arm. This was quickly followed by a similar pain on the side of my stomach and quickly followed by the same feeling on my upper right thigh (that could have been worse). It dawned on me that the tide direction had changed slightly, and the Jellyfish were no longer confined to the left hand side of the cove.
My elegant looking butterfly stroke soon changed rapidly to an overarm stroke that would have made Tom Daley proud. Nearly back at the safety of the beach. Ouch, there’s another one this time on my lower back. I leapt out of the water and danced about like an extra from River Dance. The stinging sensation stayed with me for some time, and I remembered that urine apparently is good at easing the stinging sensation. Now I wasn’t about to ask the burly sunbather sat watching me in amusement to assist with anything of that nature. Instead, I squelched to the nearby shop and got some cream which helped a little, and its coolness made me feel better. Thankfully I didn’t have any lasting reactions, other than feeling so stupid. Another daft moment chalked up to experience. And why is there always someone around when you get yourself into an embarrassing situation.
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