A Channel Nine announcer had a brush with one of the most devastating jellyfish in the ocean, but fortunately he emerged from the encounter with only a rash.
Adam Hawse was stung by a botfly jellyfish at Forster Beach, 110 kilometers south of Port Macquarie in New South Wales, on Friday.
Hawse shared photos of the blistering rash he was left with on social media and thanked the people who helped him treat it.
The painful injury was on the upper part of the left arm, near the shoulder, and extended along the biceps, forming large welts.
To celebrate his recovery from his encounter with the beast, Mr. Hawse went golfing with his family on dry land shortly afterwards.
“Recovering from a brutal bluefly attack at Forster Beach… to overcome the family putt putt golf challenge for the second year in a row,” he wrote.
‘Thank you to the Forster-Tuncurry Lions Club for the cutlery!’
Channel Nine star Adam Hawse shared images of the nasty welts he received from a bluefly bite on social media.
Portuguese Man of War jellyfish, or botflies, have venom that adheres to their tentacles and can cause serious reactions if not treated quickly (file image)
Comments on the post ranged from support to tough love as everyone clamored to give their two cents.
“You should use this story to convey to the Parramatta Eels what true determination is and how sometimes you have to dig deep and look hard in the mirror to overcome adversity.”
“Blokiest, most Aussie post of the summer so far,” added a second.
“I need a bag of cement,” a third cheekily suggested.
2GB announced in December that Hawse, a 25-year media veteran, would take over as host of Wide World of Sports after Mark Levy moved to the morning slot as a replacement for now-retired talk titan Ray Hadley.
Hawse was stung by a highly venomous jellyfish at Forster Beach, 110 kilometers south of Port Macquarie in New South Wales, on Friday.
The Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish, also known as the botfly because of its fluorescent blue color, stings its victims with venom that adheres to its tentacles.
The subsequent blisters caused by a bite can cause burning, swelling and itching that lasts for several days, joint pain, nausea or vomiting, and difficulty breathing.
In the worst case, the bite can be fatal.
However, this depends on several factors, including the age of the victim, whether they are taking any medications, and the location of the wound.
A wound from the creature can be easily treated by gently washing the sore with seawater to remove any tentacles attached to the area before soaking it in hot water for at least 20 minutes.
There have been no deaths recorded in Australia from botflies, however there have been two from the painful Irukandji jellyfish found in northern Australia.