Newswriting Exercise: The Big Sting

The Wallis Sands State Beach in Rye, NH, was briefly closed this afternoon after over 100 people were stung by a dead 50 pound jellyfish.

Of the 100 people stung, five children were sent to Portsmouth Regional Hospital as a precaution to allergic reactions. No serious injuries were reported by hospital officials.

After swimmers exited the water and began complaining of stings, lifeguards spotted the large jellyfish in the water. They used a pitchfork to retrieve the dead jellyfish.

Park manager, Ken Loughlin was shocked by the size of the jellyfish and the injuries that it inflicted. “The thing was probably 50 pounds. I’ve never seen such a thing.”

The jellyfish was most likely a lion’s mane jellyfish, as identified by Robert Royer, an aquarist at the Seacoast Science Center. These jellyfish are common in New England waters. “That’s the largest we have around here. I’ve never heard of them getting 50 pounds, though.”

Rescue officials from a number of towns in the Seacoast area treated victims in the bathhouse. According to a rescue official, the jellyfish stings felt like bee stings.

The three children of Alysia Bennett, a beach-goer, were stung and left the water crying. “They were terrified,” she said.

After the victims were treated and the jellyfish was removed from the water, the beach was reopened today, reported Loughlin.