Jellies cause 'ows' up and down beach

The purple flag has flown along Navarre Beach most of the summer, warning visitors of hazardous marine life.

But it’s not sharks that are keeping people out of the water. It’s a small, gelatinous creature that packs a nasty sting: jellies.

Parents have been keeping their children out of the water all summer. The Celaya family, who traveled to Navarre from Eagle Mountain, Utah, spent most of their beach time in Santa Rosa Sound.

Jonathan Celaya showed off a red welt on his stomach, caused by a jelly sting the family’s first day on the beach.

“He did not want to go back in the gulf again,”  said his mother, Katie Celaya.  “We have been to the sound side every day since then.”

The lifeguards recommended Jelly Fish Squish, a new product, to the Celaya’s. They treated Jonathan’s sting, and it relieved the burning sensation.

For more details on this story, see the Aug. 7 issue of Navarre Press or subscribe to our online edition.