Beautiful yet dangerous creatures of the sea are a typical part of an Australian summer spent cooling off by the ocean.
But Sutherland Shire beach-goers say they have recently noticed a spike in stingers – namely stingrays, making themselves known across several waterways in the area.
While not threatening or aggressive, the barbs of a sting ray are fierce, and can cause immense pain if stepped on.
A ray can thrust its tail up, ‘stabbing’ a victim, creating a large gash as it releases from the skin. It also injects venom that can remain in a wound.
This week people have posted on Facebook saying they have seen many more stingrays out and about in their watery habitats, including at Gunnamatta Bay, Darook Park and other beaches at Cronulla. They have also recently been spotted in shallow waters at Kurnell and at Audley in the Royal National Park.
“I copped a barb straight in the achilles. Worst pain,” Anthony Demar said.
“Seen a massive one at Wanda on Friday, Lisa Zammit said.
“It is agonising. I got done on the top of the foot,” another commented.
Chris Little was stung on his foot at the beginning of summer.
“Thank goodness there were two very competent young lifeguards on duty who helped manage the pain and restrict the toxin from spreading,” he said.
Deaths from stingrays are rare, but in November 2018, a Tasmanian man went into cardiac arrest and died after he was struck in the stomach.
A spokeswoman for South Eastern Sydney Local Health District says because of the multiple ways an injury such as stingray poisoning may present – through penetrating injury, or causing ankle or foot pain, it is not possible to collate the number of incidences of patients who present to hospital emergency.
If injured, the advice is to apply pressure to the wound if its bleeding, and immerse in hot water for 30-90 minutes.
Her mother noticed the tiny creature that was hiding in a shell her daughter had picked up.
North-easterly breezes throughout summer can also scatter the more common bluebottles along sandy stretches.
Thursday and Friday will see north-easterly winds pick up along the coast, and bluebottles can drift in with the currents.
Anyone stung should wash the tentacle from their skin with seawater, and put the affected area under the hottest water possible for about five minutes.
