A Painful, Burning Sensation

Above: Happy, heroic-looking, protected marine scientists

TJ has had better days in the field than this one (a bit of an understatement to say the least). All of us learn one day or another why we wear our protective outer skins. Yes, despite commentary to the contrary, we don't all just want to feel like Superman (sans cape for hydrodynamic benefit, Superman would be slow underwater with a cape, or "shark bait" as we in the business like to say). No, we wear our sexy, protective skin suits for their anti-sting benefits for the marine biologist's delicate skin. If we don't wear them, we take a chance of a random jellyfish shot to the groin. Some of us are willing to take that chance (the tough guys/girls), others are not (the pragmatists or wimps, if you will) and a few of us (TJ) are new enough not to truly understand the risks (the new guys). TJ has now moved, rather painfully, into the pragmatists group. Welcome to the group. Strangely, he has yet to thank me for my part in this vital segment of his Keys education. . .

Above: Public Enemy #1

After deploying the CRAB-ER-ATE-OR 4000's (crab tethers, see earlier post) at Mount Trashmore (bayside of Long Key), TJ, unclad with dive skin, let out a bellow and jumped up onto the boat with a great deal of urgency, vaulting past me on the dive ladder. You see, it is much easier to check the tethers if you don't have to go through the trouble of donning your lycra dive skin (complete with heroic theme music). You do run the risk of kicking up an upside down jellyfish though, such as while waiting for the dive ladder to clear next to the boat. The upside down jellys are somewhat unique in the Keys by their tendency to release the stinging cells into the water without much provocation, stinging you by proxy, without even touching them. These stinging cells can also migrate into rather unfortunate places, such as up your swimming suit. For some reason, TJ didn't seem to appreciate my recitation of this particular marine biology lesson, proceeding to tear off his shorts and hop around naked like a hyperactive crab, complaining about a painful, burning sensation on his inner thighs.Above: Pete explains the wonders of the upside down jellyfish to TJ.

Needless to say, this was a very trying situation for me. I have been on the boat with rapidly disrobing scientists before, and let me assure you, it is not a pretty sight. You will happy to know that I survived this incident with little physical or psychological damage. TJ also assures me that all his vital parts survived the Jellyfish attack. I will take his word for it.