Northeast - jelly fish in Plymouth/Duxbury waters

Fishing these waters the last couple of days I have seen a species of jelly fish that I have never seen before. There are always jelly fish in these waters. However the jelly fish I have witnessed in thhe past (be prepared for highly technical jargon) have been the flying saucer looking type.

The last couple of days I have seen a different species (at least I have not seen it before; certainly doesn't mean it is new here). This species looks quite different. It is more the umbrella looking type with many tenticles. The ones I saw were probably about the size of a volleyball and the tenticles appeared about 18" long. Although it is tough to judge from the boat. There were many tenticles, dozens, maybe hundreds. The nucleus of the jelly fish was a purplish, or maroonish color. Most of the jelly fish I have seen before have been transparent with little or no color. These had what looked like a purplish ball inside them.

I've always loved to just dive off my boat anywhere in these waters. This is making me think twice.

I saw many of these in Duxbury Bay yesterday around Browns bank. They look like tthey could give a decent sting.

I saw one while kayaking in Duxbury Bay today, midway between Powder Point and Clarks Island. Almost got it right on my paddle by accident because I did not expect it. Glad I didn't paddle into any others! I was trying to find spots I could possibly paddle to and fish from while looking for signs of stripers... jellyfish was very low on my list of things I might see!

saw one in Boston harbor this weekend. I've seen them before, but never so early in the year.

Plenty around plum island and hampton right now...

They've been around since prehistoric times so i don't think they're going away any time soon.

Saw one of those in CCB yesterday for the first time. Pretty cool looking.

What kind are they?

They Yecky kind!! :Q :roll

I've seen plenty of them where others have said; Plymouth/Duxbury area. I THINK they're Lion's Mane Jellyfish - sting will hurt but that's all.

I'm not going to tell the family. They'll make my life miserable having to carry them from the boat to the beach all summer.

Maybe they'll thin out as the season progresses.

Every April-May they invade the harbors. Some years are worse than others and this year they are thick in Chatham and Hyannis. In April about 20 years ago I dove in them just to see what it was like. No stings and it seemed like there were more Jellies than water at eight feet.

Thanks jbg108 I have to admit that those jellies have always botherd me. I used to scuba dive regularly when I was younger. Nothing in the ocean bothers me more than the Jellies. I always asumed they stung. Do we have any stinging Jellies in our waters?

I know we have stinging jellies up here (cape cod) from experience... nothing really bad mind you, just like a mild bee sting. Seem to fit the description of the ones we're talking about too though I recall them showing up late summer, not mid/late spring.

Thanks jbg108 I have to admit that those jellies have always botherd me. I used to scuba dive regularly when I was younger. Nothing in the ocean bothers me more than the Jellies. I always asumed they stung. Do we have any stinging Jellies in our waters?


I think they would sting bare skin but I was wearing a full suit with hood because the water was inthe 40s. My son's favorite passtime this spring has been casting a line and cutting them in half with the swipe of the rod tip.

Sea nettles? They have invaded Barnegat Bay in NJ for the last few years. Cause a severe rash.

http://www.google.com/search?q=sea+nettle&hl=en&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=_Hu9T6XfL-Oe6AHv8cCDDQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEIQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=395&sei=BXy9T8utC_DG6AG_mrFQ

Sea nettles?
Yup, that is exactly what they look like.

Thrive on nitrogen...lawn fertilizer runoff.

I am seeing them in a large group for the first time of the season in Boston harbor this morning. Big group of them just south of spectacle island. Same type as usually seen in years past. They should be gone in 2-3 weeks.

BW 285 Conquest
www.bostonharborbeacon.com