More Portuguese man-of-wars turned up at a Jersey Shore beach Monday amid a spate of disturbing sightings along the coast and a day after another one of the potentially deadly purple jellyfish-like creatures washed up at a different New Jersey beach 20 or so miles up the coastline.
Derek Goss was at Strathmere Beach on Prescott Avenue in Cape May County Monday afternoon when a surfer noticed one of the floating terrors in the water. It was safely brought to shore, Goss said, and lifeguards buried it in the sand. He said no one was hurt.
Goss' photos showed a moon-shaped creature that appeared like it may have been partially eaten by other marine life. Authorities with Upper Township Beach Patrol confirmed Goss' sighting, and said it marked the third or fourth sighting this week alone. All were dead, officials said.
The finding comes a day after another Portuguese man-of-war was found on 26th Street Beach in North Wildwood, another Jersey Shore town. In that case, the man-of-war was also removed and authorities said no one was injured.
Man-of-wars were also spotted in Ocean City and Long Beach Island last month.
The first recent sighting of a man-of-war was June 21 in Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island.
Officials say the northeast wind brings warm water from the Gulf Stream to shore, and along with it, seaweed and sea animals.
Portuguese man-of-wars have tentacles that grow from 10 to 30 feet long and marine biologists say their potentially deadly sting is far worse than what one would get from jellyfish normally found at the Jersey Shore.
Stings from man-of-wars can cause abdominal pain, changes in pulse, chest pain, collapse, headache, muscle pain and spasms, numbness and weakness, pain in the arms or legs, a raised red spot on the skin, runny nose and watery eyes, difficulty swallowing and sweating.
