A Day at the Beach : With Portuguese Man O' Wars

We had friends in town this weekend and there was only time to visit one beach - so South Beach it had to be. So the girls had their first trip to South Beach. (Technically Lorelei has already been a number of times, but none that she actually remembers.) Very soon after we arrived, the girls and I were playing in the water and the girls were each hanging off of an arm. Where Lorelei was grabbing me started to itch or burn. I was puzzled. Then she started complaining that her hands hurt. I told her to go to Andres at the towels and have him dry off her hands. I was trying to think what she could have touched that would have irritated her skin. (This of course knowing how she reacts to mosquito bites with huge raised welts.) She came back and was more insistent that her hands were burning. I asked her what she had touched. I thought maybe she was touching seaweed or something and there was some kind of biting bug. Oh, no. A Portuguese Man O' War that had washed up on the shore. Lorelei had no idea what it was. If you haven't seen one, I have included a a link to check them out on Wikipedia. I think everyone would agree that it is a fascinating and not at all menacing looking creature.

I'm thinking: jelly fish bite means vinegar or peeing on oneself (or your kids!). Instead we went to see the lifeguard. He was impressed that Lorelei wasn't crying. He sprayed her hands with vinegar  and then gave her a hot pack to hold for ten minutes. After that it would be obvious if she needed a trip to the ER or would be fine. She was fine and ended up enjoying the day at the beach - hopefully with a lesson learned.