WHAT’S GOING ON: Portuguese Man-Of-War Makes Polar Bear Swimmers Wary

As swimmers prepare for the Hilton Head “Polar Bear Plunge” this Sunday, many of them are uneasy about the annual ocean dip due to a large number of Portuguese Man-of-War that washed ashore Beaufort County’s beaches over the past few weeks.

Though not a jellyfish because it is a collection of organisms instead of a single being, the Portuguese Man-of-War delivers a powerful sting from its venomous tentacles and can cause the need for medical attention in those who fall victim to its whip.

According to the Hilton Head Island Packet, “Al Stokes, manager of the Waddell Mariculture Center in Bluffton, says that while they die shortly after drifting ashore, their venom remains potent for two or three days.”

The Island Packet added, “Stokes says winds from the south are probably why so many Portuguese Man-of-War are washing ashore.”

As far as Sunday’s Polar Bear Plunge is concerned, organizers who want people to have a good time, are first concerned with swimmers’ safety and are unsure of what they will do about the swim.