I did my first OWS sprint tri last weekend, thankfully with a favorable current for the longest leg! Full wetsuit in salt water=bob like a cork and you can drift to the finish if needed! I can actually stand vertically in water over my head without moving with the suit on in salt water.

Anyway, in an effort to get more comfortable with actually swimming the distance I am trying to get in an OWS after work. I drive right by several lovely beaches on my way home (Cape Cod). Friday night I donned my shorty wetsuit (water temps mid-70s) and started swimming out to the first buoy. Felt good, getting my rhythm, sighting...BAM! I swam right into a jelly. Tentacles strafed right under my arm and armpit. OMG, this was the most intense pain I have experienced in recent memory. I made a beeline to the shore and spent about twenty minutes in the parking lot trying to get it together enough to drive home.

Unfortunately, I also did the one thing you should NOT do after a jelly sting: rinsed the area with fresh water. This apparently caused the nematocysts (the cells with the toxins) to fire even more vigorously Dousing the area with vinegar (which I will now carry in my swim bag) is the preferred treatment and there are some commercial products out there as well.

The burn lasted through the night and I still have some welts today, but it doesn't hurt anymore.

I love swimming in the ocean, but I will be covering up with the fullsuit or at least wearing a rash guard from now on.