Jelly Fish

Anthea | March 31, 2023, 1:17 p.m. | Brazil

This is just a quick blog post to talk about the jellyfish that wash up on the beach in Rio. There's a swimming spot we like to go to next to this large rock outcropping called Arpoador that's situated between the beaches in Ipanema and Copacabana. One night we were walking down to the end to the rock because it's just generally where we walk or run to along that stretch of beach, with no intention to swim, but this time (and a few other nights) the tide was incredibly high, almost like a river that's washed up high on the sand, and all along there were people just walking along in it, kids playing, people just standing in it talking, so we rolled up our pants and went to walk in it as well. It was well lit despite being night, and the water was this really perfect temperature, with a funny little current in it. And as you walked, you were just being bombarded with jellyfish bumping up against you or floating along in groups beside you, and it felt truly like a magical moment.  When I asked Alejandro and Martha, Jordi's cousin, they said initially that these ones didn't sting, before realizing we didn't mean when they were washed up dead on the shore, and then quickly changed their answer to yes, they do indeed sting. Seems we just never gave them enough reason to sting!