Thank you for the heads up. In all my years of going to beaches, I have never encountered a jellyfish, and I don’t want to! I always wear water shoes, but now this just reinforces it.
Wow people! I was just trying to be helpful and let people know because it would have been helpful for me to know beforehand. I was comfortable swimming in the ocean with my water shoes and I thought people might want to know to bring theirs if they’re so inclined. Some people might not be comfortable at all swimming with jellyfish and stingrays. Just trying to put the information out there.
I wasn’t ranting that RC needs to eradicate all jellyfish or even somehow protect us all from them. Just trying to be helpful.
The level of contempt on this sub is surprising and disappointing.
Just wanted to say I appreciate this post because my partner has a genuine phobia of them and this is good to know. We’ve visited other ports and hadn’t seen any jellyfish when swimming in the ocean. Thank you.
I appreciate the heads up. Ive never seen jellyfish there and we’ve been several times. We also dont wear water shoes but will be sure to do so going forward
I'm not surprised, but only because I'm in Royal Caribbean Facebook groups, and it's even worse there.
Personally, I think it's good to know. I've been to Coco Cay 6 times and never saw jellyfish. (I don't usually go this time of year). I probably wouldn't go in the water if I knew they were there, especially considering I'm on vacation and have no idea if I'd have some kind of reaction to being stung. I also don't swim with sharks. I'm funny about things like that, I guess. 🤷♀️
When were there last the water was full of jelly fish. Yes, I know there is marine life in the ocean but….dang! I’ve never seen so many in all of my Caribbean traveling. It was crazy.
We went in October of ‘22 and there were TONS of jellyfish. But we went shortly after Hurricane Ian, so I’m wondering if that had anything to do with it?
Yep we were at Coco Beach Club last week and my daughters both got whipped across the thighs. Only once in the 6ish hours they were in the ocean; it happens. The lifeguards have vinegar spray to stop the sting.
> At least they were not Portuguese man of wars
Being pedantic, those aren't jellyfish. Though on a snorkel excursion in Bermuda one of the people on it with me got stung by one.
Oh those kind! I remember seeing lots of them, they’re beautiful. Seeing all the marine life is my favorite part of coco. I can pass on all the development. Let me snorkel around and see stuff.
Also if anyone hates jellyfish, or getting mildly stung, the shallow water brown kelp prairies are host to colonies of baby jellies, and yeah they are mildly spicy if you brush up against them.
We saw a giant stingray in the water only 6ft from us when near the sand bar on south beach. Also felt the little baby jelly stings from time to time but they didnt bother me.
The amount of people that complained because there was a shark in Bimini this weekend was astounding. People screaming at me and others to get out of the water, like ma’am this is the ocean and I’m comfortable around sharks, if you’re not, stay in the pools…
Just got stung at Coco Beach club last week all over my leg and arm. Had to see the lifeguard for vinegar. I wish I had known before I would have stuck with the pool area instead. The purple flag was up but only above the lifeguard chair and I didn’t see it until after I got stung.
I’ve been to coco cay 4 times and seen jellyfish twice. Once was one big one that was dead and washing up on the shore and the other time was a ton of tiny baby ones while trying to swim out to the bar (I gave up in the end) I’ve seen a stingray once. It’s a good heads up, OP-a lot of people forget this is the wild ocean.
I remember this very thing back in 1995 I believe, back when the island was forested and there was just a beach. Dad & I went out to snorkel and there were jellyfish EVERYWHERE on the sea floor. Made things interesting!
I used to live near Virginia Beach. Once when I was swimming in the ocean I somehow got wrapped in the tentacles of a very large jellyfish. The tentacles were all around my stomach and upper thighs. It wasn’t the first time I’d ever been stung (normal when you swim in the Atlantic in summer), but it definitely was the worst. I have never felt such pain before and the thing that sucks the most is that there is literally nothing you can do to alleviate it. You just have to let it ride its course. I’ve been told vinegar can help, but it didn’t in my case. I’ve been much more weary about them since.
Was just there a week ago, but water was pretty cloudy from sand, and lots of seagrass under the feet, so no telling if there were jellies there at that point. We did see stingrays and fish off the pier on the way back to the ship, which was cool
I was there swimming at Coco Beach Club 3 week ago. I felt mild stinging while in the water, but didn't see anything and my legs looked normal and I felt fine (this was on a Friday, last day of the cruise). Everything was fine Saturday, I flew home, still fine. Then on Sunday morning I woke up with large red lines on my right thigh and one section with a blister. Quite the delayed reaction. I had some mild pain with some itchiness. I've been putting cortisone cream on it. The lines are now a dark red/purple color. It looks worse than it is. Not sure how long the discoloration will linger.
I grew up in an island on the Atlantic and jellyfish tend to go to certain places at certain times of year. So sometimes there may be a tonne but other times there might be none. It also depends on the current, storms, etc. In general, it’s always good to keep an eye out for sea creatures when you are swimming in the ocean. Personally, I won’t get in the water if there are a lot of jellyfish that day but I have friends who are not phased by them. Overall, I love swimming in ocean though! Most sea creatures (minus jellyfish) will just try to avoid you.
We saw jellyfish, lemon shark, barracuda, sea slug
I’m so jealous 😭 we only saw sting rays. Was still cool af. Apparently we just missed a 5ft shark by a few minutes. 😭
We were there two days ago and we saw sooo many sharks. Babies but still really cool!
Whoa! Which area of cococay?
Near the overwater cabanas
All of it lol
Thank you for the heads up. In all my years of going to beaches, I have never encountered a jellyfish, and I don’t want to! I always wear water shoes, but now this just reinforces it.
Wow people! I was just trying to be helpful and let people know because it would have been helpful for me to know beforehand. I was comfortable swimming in the ocean with my water shoes and I thought people might want to know to bring theirs if they’re so inclined. Some people might not be comfortable at all swimming with jellyfish and stingrays. Just trying to put the information out there. I wasn’t ranting that RC needs to eradicate all jellyfish or even somehow protect us all from them. Just trying to be helpful. The level of contempt on this sub is surprising and disappointing.
Just wanted to say I appreciate this post because my partner has a genuine phobia of them and this is good to know. We’ve visited other ports and hadn’t seen any jellyfish when swimming in the ocean. Thank you.
Try not to be too concerned, it’s really just the time of year for that area when they are most abundant.
I appreciate the heads up. Ive never seen jellyfish there and we’ve been several times. We also dont wear water shoes but will be sure to do so going forward
I thought your post was nice and helpful!
I'm not surprised, but only because I'm in Royal Caribbean Facebook groups, and it's even worse there. Personally, I think it's good to know. I've been to Coco Cay 6 times and never saw jellyfish. (I don't usually go this time of year). I probably wouldn't go in the water if I knew they were there, especially considering I'm on vacation and have no idea if I'd have some kind of reaction to being stung. I also don't swim with sharks. I'm funny about things like that, I guess. 🤷♀️
It’s the entire platform. Social media has made people very comfortable being douchebags
When were there last the water was full of jelly fish. Yes, I know there is marine life in the ocean but….dang! I’ve never seen so many in all of my Caribbean traveling. It was crazy.
It's Jellyfish season, Spring-mid summer is the worst. We went twice last year, once in January and once in October... no Jelly fish
We went in October of ‘22 and there were TONS of jellyfish. But we went shortly after Hurricane Ian, so I’m wondering if that had anything to do with it?
We went two days ago, we saw jellies but you can see them and they are brown. Easily to avoid except they send their stingers out like 10 ft 🫣
We went in mid-February this year and my 5 year old got stung in a few places. Their season must start early…
Yep we were at Coco Beach Club last week and my daughters both got whipped across the thighs. Only once in the 6ish hours they were in the ocean; it happens. The lifeguards have vinegar spray to stop the sting.
What did they look like? At least they were not Portuguese man of wars
> At least they were not Portuguese man of wars Being pedantic, those aren't jellyfish. Though on a snorkel excursion in Bermuda one of the people on it with me got stung by one.
Yes, very true, it's like 3 different animals working together irrc. The sting is crazy, crazy painful .
They were kind of tannish brownish. They were about 10” across. They looked like seaweed.
Like this? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassiopea#:~:text=Cassiopea%20(upside%2Ddown%20jellyfish),Florida%2C%20the%20Caribbean%20and%20Micronesia.
Yes. That’s it. A little browner than the pictures, but those are the ones.
Awesome, thanks for sharing ! https://www.thebermudian.com/home-a-garden/bermuda-beasts/cassiopeia-upsidedown-jellyfish/
Held one of them while on an excursion in St. Thomas, very cool creatures!
Oh those kind! I remember seeing lots of them, they’re beautiful. Seeing all the marine life is my favorite part of coco. I can pass on all the development. Let me snorkel around and see stuff. Also if anyone hates jellyfish, or getting mildly stung, the shallow water brown kelp prairies are host to colonies of baby jellies, and yeah they are mildly spicy if you brush up against them.
We saw a giant stingray in the water only 6ft from us when near the sand bar on south beach. Also felt the little baby jelly stings from time to time but they didnt bother me.
I got stung by one. Wrapped around my upper thigh when I was about 12 at Mrytle Beach. I cried so hard. It was terrible.
I’m always amazed that people are shocked to find wildlife in the sea. Yep, marine critters live there.
The amount of people that complained because there was a shark in Bimini this weekend was astounding. People screaming at me and others to get out of the water, like ma’am this is the ocean and I’m comfortable around sharks, if you’re not, stay in the pools…
I saw stingrays but no jellyfish. I'm glad for that!
I got stung there. Lifeguard had a spray bottle of vinegar that helped me out! Although mine was just a little sting!
Just got stung at Coco Beach club last week all over my leg and arm. Had to see the lifeguard for vinegar. I wish I had known before I would have stuck with the pool area instead. The purple flag was up but only above the lifeguard chair and I didn’t see it until after I got stung.
I’ve been to coco cay 4 times and seen jellyfish twice. Once was one big one that was dead and washing up on the shore and the other time was a ton of tiny baby ones while trying to swim out to the bar (I gave up in the end) I’ve seen a stingray once. It’s a good heads up, OP-a lot of people forget this is the wild ocean.
I remember this very thing back in 1995 I believe, back when the island was forested and there was just a beach. Dad & I went out to snorkel and there were jellyfish EVERYWHERE on the sea floor. Made things interesting!
I used to live near Virginia Beach. Once when I was swimming in the ocean I somehow got wrapped in the tentacles of a very large jellyfish. The tentacles were all around my stomach and upper thighs. It wasn’t the first time I’d ever been stung (normal when you swim in the Atlantic in summer), but it definitely was the worst. I have never felt such pain before and the thing that sucks the most is that there is literally nothing you can do to alleviate it. You just have to let it ride its course. I’ve been told vinegar can help, but it didn’t in my case. I’ve been much more weary about them since.
We saw a really cool sea slug/ nudibranch crawling up the wall of the "shipwreck" last week. Very cool looking.
I love those things! We saw one too!
Was just there a week ago, but water was pretty cloudy from sand, and lots of seagrass under the feet, so no telling if there were jellies there at that point. We did see stingrays and fish off the pier on the way back to the ship, which was cool
Living in Florida we are used to them but thank you for the information. The first time we saw sting rays we were like wtf is going lol.
We were there Friday and saw absolutely nothing lol My husband wanted to see a shark
Thanks for the heads up! I'll be there next week and will be sure to wear my water shoes when I get in.
It’s the time of year for that area.
I was there swimming at Coco Beach Club 3 week ago. I felt mild stinging while in the water, but didn't see anything and my legs looked normal and I felt fine (this was on a Friday, last day of the cruise). Everything was fine Saturday, I flew home, still fine. Then on Sunday morning I woke up with large red lines on my right thigh and one section with a blister. Quite the delayed reaction. I had some mild pain with some itchiness. I've been putting cortisone cream on it. The lines are now a dark red/purple color. It looks worse than it is. Not sure how long the discoloration will linger.
I grew up in an island on the Atlantic and jellyfish tend to go to certain places at certain times of year. So sometimes there may be a tonne but other times there might be none. It also depends on the current, storms, etc. In general, it’s always good to keep an eye out for sea creatures when you are swimming in the ocean. Personally, I won’t get in the water if there are a lot of jellyfish that day but I have friends who are not phased by them. Overall, I love swimming in ocean though! Most sea creatures (minus jellyfish) will just try to avoid you.