Guide
Portugese Man of War
The beaches of Curacao are lovely, but there are some things you have to be aware of when you get into the alluring water. One of these things is the so called Portugese Man O’War, also known as bluebubble or bluebottle. The Portugese Man O’War looks a lot like a giant jellyfish, but is actually a siphonophore—a colony of four sorts of polyps. These seacreatures with enormous tentacles can grow to be a 50 meters long.
The Portugese Man O’War can be dangerous for humans, because of the venom they insert when they sting. The sting of the Portugese Man O’War can be deadly, but usually only causes excruciating pains. The best treatment for a sting is to apply hot water (45 degrees Celsius) to the affected area. The hot water eases the pain of a sting by denaturing the toxins. Applying ice can also reduce the pain. Ice makes the toxins less active and reduces the sensation and therefore pain of the area of skin around the ice. When you get stung by a Portugese Man O’War and feel extreme pains, it’s wise to contact a doctor.