Enjoying Okinawa Safely

Box jellyfish have a powerful venom and a strong sting that causes welts and is very painful. In Okinawa, they are typically sighted between May and October. They get their name from the cube-like shape of their bell which is semi-transparent. They can be very difficult to see and can even sometimes be found in shallow water just 50 centimeters deep.

First aid: Immediately leave the water, and pour vinegar liberally on any tentacles remaining attached to your skin. Do not rub the area. Carefully remove the vinegar treated tentacles, and chill the painful area with ice or cold water.

The Portuguese man-of-war floats on the surface of the water and has very long blue tentacles that extend far into the water. The float is a purple-blue color and can be up to around 30 centimeters long and 10 centimeters wide. They are usually found in the open ocean in tropical areas, but strong onshore winds can sometimes blow them into bays and up onto beaches.

First aid: Rinse with seawater, and remove or wash off any tentacles or cnidocytes stinging cells that remain attached to your skin. Chill the painful area with ice or cold water. NEVER treat with vinegar.

The night anemone is an extremely venomous anemone with a diameter of between 10 and 20 centimeters. They are typically found in shallow lagoons. Most injuries occur when snorkeling or when walking on the reef or swimming at low tide.

First aid: Rinse with seawater to remove any cnidocytes stinging cells,and chill the painful area with ice or cold water. NEVER treat with vinegar.

Cone snails are a large group of small- to large-sized highly venomous sea snails that have a harpoon-like tooth which they use to inject prey with a neurotoxin. Bites cause almost no pain, but can result in paralysis, which in turn can cause drowning. In Okinawa, these snails typically have a reddish-brown color and a shell with a net-like pattern. They are usually around 10 centimeters long.

First aid: Squeeze out the venom, and get to the hospital immediately.

Sea snakes are related to cobras, and their venom contains a neurotoxin. While a bite causes little pain, the venom can cause difficulty breathing, hypotension, or paralysis in around 30 minutes.

First aid: Leave the water, squeeze out the venom, and get to the hospital immediately.

Blue-ringed octopuses are small, only around 12 centimeters in diameter, and can be found in tide pools and coral reefs. They are pale in color with a blue ringed patterning that becomes bright when startled or stimulated. Their bite releases a venom which contains tetrodotoxin, the same potent neurotoxin found in puffer fish.

First aid: Do not attempt to suck the venom out. Squeeze out the venom, and transport to the hospital immediately.

Stonefish excel in camouflage and are difficult to tell apart from stones. They can be found in shallow water, and remain almost motionless. They have sharp venomous spines running along their backs that can pierce rubber-soled shoes if stepped on. Walking with small shuffled steps rather than large, raised steps may scare a nearby stone fish away and may help you avoid stepping directly on one.

First aid: Remove any spines piercing the skin and soak your foot in warm water around 40 to 45 degrees Celsius. You can also apply a plastic bag filled with warm water to the afflicted area. Do not use water that is too hot and avoid burning the wound.

This catfish has venomous spines in its dorsal and pectoral fins. They inhabit shallow reefs and shallow sanded areas. They have a tendency for group behavior and juveniles form dense ball-shaped school Injuries typically occur by stepping on or touching the fish.

First aid: Remove any spines piercing the skin and soak the afflicted area in warm water around 40 to 45 degrees Celsius. You can also apply a plastic bag filled with warm water to the afflicted area. Do not use water that is too hot and avoid burning the wound.

Lionfish float suspended in water, move extremely slowly, and tend not to flee easily. They have venomous spines in their dorsal, ventral, and anal fins. When startled or threatened, they raise their dorsal fins.

First aid: Remove any spines piercing the skin and soak the afflicted area in warm water around 40 to 45 degrees Celsius. You can also apply a plastic bag filled with warm water to the afflicted area. Do not use water that is too hot and avoid burning the wound.

These tropical sea urchins have a small shell around five centimeters in diameter, but their spines are very long and have venomous tips. They are typically found in rocky areas and around reefs. Injuries occur by accidently stepping on them or touching their spines. Note that their spines are very brittle and can break off in the wound causing pain and swelling.

First aid: Remove any spines piercing the skin and soak the afflicted area in warm water around 40 to 45 degrees Celsius. You can also apply a plastic bag filled with warm water to the afflicted area. Do not use water that is too hot and avoid burning the wound.

The crown-of-thorns starfish is one of the largest starfish in the world, with between 10 and 20 arms covered in venomous thorn-like spines. If these spines pierce the skin, they can cause intense pain, swelling, and anaphylactic shock in severe cases.

First aid: Remove any spines piercing the skin and soak the afflicted area in warm water around 40 to 45 degrees Celsius. You can also apply a plastic bag filled with warm water to the afflicted area. Do not use water that is too hot and avoid burning the wound.