Jellyfish / Nettles near Bay Bridge (Rt.50/301) ?

Chesagansett

Chesagansett

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A co-worker wants to do the Swim the Bay swim next year in June 2011. He wants to do a trial swim this summer / early fall at the same location as the official swim. I volunteered to go along as his tender boat for this trial swim. But, I was wondering...Are the jellyfish / nettles that far north now, especially given the relatively hot and dry summer?

Thanks.
 
Saw a lot of them in Swann Creek near Rock Hall yesterday.

Mike
 
Never seen so many jellyfish this year. Was up at Lovely COve off of Chester on Saturday, kids in swimming and one got it with jellyfish. Never ssen one in this area (fresh water??)up until then. Spent Satuday nite in St. Michaels and one got sucked up my generater intake. NEVER seen that many jellyfish!
 
They're up the Potomac, above the 301 bridge. Heavy this year... I think with rain levels down, the water salinity brings them further up.
 
Thanks for the replies. I was wondering, how do the jellyfish "know" to stay in the higher salinity waters? I mean.... don't they just drift? Do they have any means of self-propulsion? I had thought they just go where the currents take them?

I suppose with less rain, then there is less overall current heading out the rivers and down the bay, and they don't get pushed out the bay as much. Given the prevailing S and SW winds in the summer, maybe this wind force pushes them farther north than the currents push them south in dryer years? Anyone know the answer to this?

Thanks.
 
Reel Antsy -

Thanks. Good info. Looks like the Chesapeake is the favorite hangout for the Sea Nettle variety of jellyfish.

I'll let my co-worker know that his swim this time of year would end in a "stinging defeat"!
 
I don't think we ever saw as many nettles in the West and Rhode Rivers as this past weekend. Anchored out in the Rhode, the nettles were thick.
 
I notice that the NOAA map doesn't seem to jibe with the anecdotal postings here. We're coming down from Pittsburgh for a long weekend today, and am wondering what folks are seeing around Hart Miller and perhaps up around Fairlee or Still Pond? With the warm temps, the kiddies are going to want to dive in, I'm sure. Any help is appreciated...thanks!
 
We were at Hart miller on labor day weekend and didn't see any. Temps have been much cooler since then so I'm guessing you should be fine. I believe also bay water temps have dropped to around 75 or so vs. low 80's a few weeks ago. I think your only problem will be wanting to swim in water that is the same temp as the air temp. But then if they are young kids, they never seem to mind if their lips turn blue!
 
Well, my co-worker ended up do his qualifying swim on the Potomac River near Woodbridge, VA . No nettles there. He completed it in record time (for him). The outgoing tidal current that he was swimming with didn't hurt.
 
Well, the water was just a mite chilly with the breeze to swim; and we did see a couple of big jellies at Hart Miller on Saturday. Wish I had been a bit quicker with the camera. Thanks to all for their info!
 
saw a couple in Fairlee Creek on Sunday, don't think I've ever seen any in there before.
 
Same at Lovely Cove 2 weekends ago. Never have seen jellyfish there before either....read an article that the Bay that within 10 years it will be like some of the waters around Austrailia that are infested with jelleyfish.......has something to do with high count of nutrients in the water and what feeds their breeding habits.....
 
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