If we think that stepping on sharp bristles or pointed objects is painful, just think about our mates in Australia and what they have to deal with. Seems our mates down under have a never-ending supply of painful & deadly creatures they have to be aware of. Years ago, I watched a TV show about Australia and the most deadly creature on Earth, found in Australia & a few other tropical regions. I was thinking snake or spider, but no, none of those, it’s actually much worse for us beach & shallow water hunters as this thing is invisible, extremely painful and deadly.
Turns out, the deadliest creature on earth is the Box Jellyfish. Its venom is reported to be about 1,000 times more deadly than a Cobra. Box Jellyfish stings can kill an adult human in as little as 3 minutes, which doesn’t leave much time for a rescue response or medical treatment. Some of the species are so small; they’re about the size of your thumbnail. Add in the fact that they’re transparent, and you’ve got a killer in the water you can’t even see. The TV show mentioned that beachgoers in Australia, including men, will wear women’s hosiery on their legs, to protect against these invisible assassins.
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They’re highly unusual for jellyfish in that they have four eye-clusters with 24 eyes, and they pose a danger to humans due to their potent venom and near transparent bodies, which makes them hard to spot in the water. If that wasn’t enough, they just don’t float around like most other jellyfish. Box Jellyfish have a more advanced nervous system that allows them to actively swim and hunt small fish and shrimp. So if they feel like ruining your day & life, they don’t have to wait to bump into you, they can actually swim towards you. Good Lord, I’m staying on the dry, lol.
The danger is so extreme; beaches actually post signs warning about these jellyfish and other stingy things in the water. BTW, if anyone happens to get stung by a Blue Ring Octopus, their sting will totally paralyze the victim, leaving them fully conscious while they suffocate. Hmm, do I really need to wade into the water to hunt? The dry is looking better and better.
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My hats off and major respect to my mates down under, no wonder Aussies have thick skins with all the deadly creatures they have to deal with on a daily basis. I haven’t met a thin-skinned Aussie yet, I don’t think thin-skinned, snowflake type people would do well down under. If all this isn’t enough, for those lucky enough to survive being stung by a Box Jellyfish, here's some souvenirs they'll get to remind them of the experience.
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