The Delaware beaches are seeing more jellyfish this summer.
With more jellyfish comes more jellyfish stings, with a number of people being treated in beach towns like Lewes and Rehoboth Beach.
Lewes has already treated almost twice as many jellyfish stings this year as last year, and Rehoboth Beach Patrol Captain Jeff Giles says they’re treating lots of people.
"And we're getting at least 150 to 200 people coming up to the lifeguards, end up here to the shack, for spray each day," said Giles.
Giles notes that lifeguards have a vinegar/water mix spray or TLC Spray to help with any stings. If you’re at the beach and you get a jellyfish sting, he advises folks to find the nearest lifeguard.
He adds the water temperatures have contributed to more jellyfish this summer.
"There has been really an increase in the temperature of the Atlantic Ocean here, especially off the Delaware beaches, and off of Rehoboth. It's actually almost up to 78 degrees, almost 80 degrees,” said Giles. “So we're getting that current, which is bringing in a lot more jellyfish than normal. This started back around the 4th of July, and it's increased ever since."
Giles does say that the lack of storms to get the current going and flush the jellyfish out hasn’t helped.
He says not as many are heading into the ocean because of the jellyfish.
"It is keeping the crowds a little bit back in the water. The lifeguards aren't seeing as much people on the surface as they usually do and because of the jellyfish a lot of the kids are sort of shying back also," said Giles.
