Beaches in Portugal with Jellyfish Risk

Jellyfish or jellies are soft-bodied, free-swimming aquatic creatures. In most cases, the term jellyfish is used to describe creatures with a gelatinous or umbrella-like "jelly material" and trailing tentacles. Jellyfish, however, are not famous for their gelatinous but rather for their nasty stinging capabilities. Even though not aggressive, they will sting in defence using their tentacles.
For the most part, jelly stings are extremely painful; however, some stings are fatal, and therefore you need to wear a full body bathing suit to avoid the deadly stings of the jellyfish.

Beaches in Portugal with Jellyfish

Jellyfish are planktons and are in most cases at the mercy of ocean currents. Since the jellyfish are not strong swimmers, they are usually found where two currents meet. Equally, the jellyfish can also be found in regions where there`s a strong onshore breeze.

Portugal is the perfect example of such a location since its beaches face the full force of the Atlantic Ocean.

Portugal beaches are infamous for large waves and exotic beaches, making it ideal for surfers.

However, the surfers and swimmers also face the risk of jellyfish stings.
Below, we look at some of the popular beaches in Portugal synonymous with jellyfishes.

The Algarve Region

The Algarve region is in the Southern region of Portugal and has become synonymous with jellyfish in the recent past. This might be partly attributed to the fact that the region has all-year round sunshine, making the beach ideal for the jellyfish.

However, the region has lifeguards during the swimming season.

The Lisbon Coast

Unlike the Algarve region, the beaches along Portugal`s capital are a bit colder, consequently less risk of jellyfishes. However, the beaches are plagued with jellyfish during the summer season, when the waters become warm.

The Green Coasts

Also known as Costa Verde, this long strip of coast stretches from Porto to the Spanish borders and consists of an array of coastal beaches including Esphino, Vila do Conde, Caminha, and Povoa de Vazim, among others.
The Green Coast coastal is inundated with jellyfish during the strong southwesterly winds.

Avoiding Jellyfish Stings

If you`re looking for a safe and memorable experience in the Portugal Beaches, you need to mitigate against the risk of a jellyfish sting. There are various methods that you can use to avoid the fatal sting. Some of the methods include;

-Choose safe beach areas

If possible, avoid swimming or going near to beaches that are famous or frequented by jellyfish. Choosing a low-risk beach is one sure way of avoiding encountering the jellyfish.

-Wearing Protective Gear

As we`ve seen above, jellyfish are planktons and are at the mercies of waves and times. Therefore, inadvertently, jellyfish can be swept to any region despite its safety rating.

To avoid being a statistic of the "rare" incidents, it`s always advisable to wear protective gear. A full body bathing suit, which entails special wetsuit, protective shoes and lotion, for instance, might deter and even protect your skin from the deadly tentacles of the jellyfish.

-Stay safe on the shore

Jellyfish washed by the currents to the shore can still be quite dangerous, even when dead. Therefore, always be on the lookout for dead creatures on the shoreline.

Similarly, heed to the instructions of the lifeguards in the beach and avoid the waters when the lifeguard instructs you to.

Conclusion

Are you planning to visit Portugal? Well, you no longer have to fear the beaches; with a full body bathing suit, you can now experience your vacation to the fullest.