Let me start this by saying I'm not particularly afraid of jellyfish. In fact I love going out at night when the moon jellies are around. And they don't bother me during the day, they are small, and don't even have any noticeable tentacles. However today where I was surfing in monmouth county this morning, no problems all morning, some other guys out who eventually went home and then it was just me. it got near high tide. I felt something weird on my hand while paddling, felt like I hit a bag in the water. Then another. Didn't think much of it. Then I'm sitting on my board, and something noticably bangs into my nuts through the suit. Look down and there's a jelly fish. Kind of skeeved but keep moving. Next I go to take a wave and go to pop up, and who's hanging out on my board? Mr. Jellyfish the surfer, right where I need to put my foot. I soon realized these things were everywhere. Most about 5-6 inches wide. I'm not sure if they stung or not, as I don't believe I hit any tentacles with my bare skin. I didn't stick around to find out. They were whitish clear, with this purple/brownish ring on them. Anyone know what they were? Were they just big moon jellys? Either way, feeling my hands bounce off them every paddle, having them bouncing off my board and genitalia region, and feeling tentacles around my suit was enough to get me out of the water the next wave in. I've been out plenty of times with jellyfish, but never anything like that. Looked up canonball jellies, that wasn't them
I bet they were cannonball jellies. There are a lot of them around NC beaches in the spring. They don't sting. I've paddled through bunches of them too.
Looked up a pic of those, that isn't it. The ring was towards the inside not exactly on the outside. Maybe it was large moon jellies, but I don't think I've ever seen moon jellies with regular tentacles, they are usually very short
Not sure which kind it was but if i'm not mistaken they sting you through your hair follicles, so you essentially could hold one in the palm of your hand but flip your hand over and it will sting you. I have been stung by these and it's not all that bad, just more of a irritation than anything, slight burning tingly itchy sensation. One time I was out and some dude got stung in his nostril and his eyes were watering for days, funny but not.
I've noticed the ones you're talking about lately. Those and the other smaller round firm ones, I'm often tempted to take a bite out of. Never done it, but the texture seems awesome. Probably edible, no? Don't they eat jellyfish in Japan?
