How horrible is this! This story is about Our Eefje, Baby Jane's WWOOFER, the lovely soul who made me that amazing birthday cake. I'm so happy she didn't die. Irukandji is the most deadly of all the jellyfish of North Queensland, and you have only minutes before the neurotoxins stop your heart and lungs. I'm so very happy there were lifeguards on hand who knew what to do, although I won't tell you what they did to her because ... well, I think she'd prefer that kept secret!
Tourist's close call with an irukandji
NATHAN PAULL | November 8th, 2011
Dutch tourist Eefje Coolen was the first person to be stung by an irukandji this stinger season. She was stung on Magnetic Island and is pictured at Toolakea Beach. Her friend Travis Nasevy helped take her to lifeguards after she was stung. AFTER spending 11 months in Australia, Dutch tourist Eefje Coolen got to experience the worst of Australia's deadliest wildlife first hand just before she was leaving.
Ms Coolen, 28, became the first person in the region this stinger season to feel the wrath of the potentially deadly irukandji, less than two weeks before she returned home to Holland.
The backpacker was swimming with friends at Arcadia on Magnetic Island on Sunday when she felt what at first she thought was an ant bite, before searing pain began coursing through the rest of her body.
Her friend rushed her over to lifeguards, who recognised the tell-tale signs of the tiny stinger and treated her while they called an ambulance to take her to Townsville Hospital.
Ms Coolen said while she was released later that night, she did not want to experience that much pain ever again. "I didn't know to expect that," she said.
However, the tourist said it would not stop her enjoying Australia's beaches during the rest of her trip as she relaxed at Toolakea yesterday.
"I'll definitely be going back into the water, it is really nice here," she said.
Ms Coolen's friend Travis Nasevy, 28, said he began to recognise her symptoms and rushed her over to the lifeguards straight away. "You could tell she was in a lot of pain," he said.
Mr Nasevy said while the emergency crews on the island did a great job, he hoped his friend's experience would encourage other to take care and wear stinger suits.
Stinger season in the North typically runs from November to May.
Surf Life Saving Queensland Regional Manager Peter Roulston said beachgoers should wear protective clothing and listen to lifesavers when at the beach.
"It's also a good idea to enter the water slowly, as box jellyfish and other marine stingers will often swim away from people if they are given the time and opportunity to do so," he said.
"And, as always, it's important that beachgoers stick to the red and yellow flagged areas."
Ms Coolen, 28, became the first person in the region this stinger season to feel the wrath of the potentially deadly irukandji, less than two weeks before she returned home to Holland.
The backpacker was swimming with friends at Arcadia on Magnetic Island on Sunday when she felt what at first she thought was an ant bite, before searing pain began coursing through the rest of her body.
Her friend rushed her over to lifeguards, who recognised the tell-tale signs of the tiny stinger and treated her while they called an ambulance to take her to Townsville Hospital.
Ms Coolen said while she was released later that night, she did not want to experience that much pain ever again. "I didn't know to expect that," she said.
However, the tourist said it would not stop her enjoying Australia's beaches during the rest of her trip as she relaxed at Toolakea yesterday.
"I'll definitely be going back into the water, it is really nice here," she said.
Ms Coolen's friend Travis Nasevy, 28, said he began to recognise her symptoms and rushed her over to the lifeguards straight away. "You could tell she was in a lot of pain," he said.
Mr Nasevy said while the emergency crews on the island did a great job, he hoped his friend's experience would encourage other to take care and wear stinger suits.
Stinger season in the North typically runs from November to May.
Surf Life Saving Queensland Regional Manager Peter Roulston said beachgoers should wear protective clothing and listen to lifesavers when at the beach.
"It's also a good idea to enter the water slowly, as box jellyfish and other marine stingers will often swim away from people if they are given the time and opportunity to do so," he said.
"And, as always, it's important that beachgoers stick to the red and yellow flagged areas."
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