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Stingrays hurt dozens of people in Huntington Beach; plus, how to avoid getting stung
Beachgoers are recommended to do the stingray shuffle.
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Photo by Eric Ritter via Flickr Creative Commons
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Thanks to warm water, low surf and big crowds, more than 30 people were stung by stingrays over the weekend in Huntington Beach.
“When the surf is big, we don't have any and we can go sometimes a month or more without any stingrays,” Marine Safety Lieutenant Mike Beuerlein told KPCC. “[But] then when there is no surf and the water's warm, they come closer to shore and we can get 20 to 30 in one day.”
Huntington Beach logs 400 to 500 stingray injuries every year, according to Beuerlein.
“Typically, stingrays are bottom dwellers,” he said. “Since the water is not that clear in the surface people can't see them and they inadvertently step on them.”
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With the current conditions, Beuerlein expects the stingrays to hang around for at least a few more weeks. Those hitting the beach are recommended to do the stingray shuffle.
“When you enter the water, shuffle your feet across the bottom of the ocean,” he explained. That sends vibrations and waves, which the stingrays sense.
“They are not aggressive animals,” said Beuerlein. “They do not want to be stepped on, so when they feel that somebody's getting close to them, they move away.”
Those who do get stung are treated by having the affected area immersed in hot water. It typically takes half an hour to an hour for the toxins to break down and the pain to subside.
Here are some more tips on how to avoid getting stung and what to do if you are:
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