Dead Jellyfish

I just returned from a wonderful beach week in Murrell's Inlet/Garden City Beach S.C. The weather was warmer than usual for May which I loved. But that might be the reason for all the dead cannonball jellyfish on the beach. I never saw the ocean until I was 16 but lived in Charleston, S.C. for two years in my 20s. One of the first things I was told and learned - do not touch the dead jellyfish! Go around them , look at them but don't touch them ! One summer in Charleston I got a jellyfish bite in the ocean. After that I was just not interested in jellyfish. I told my husband and my children with all of our beach trips do not touch the dead jellyfish. Now you ask why I am rambling on about dead jellyfish? Because of an incidence one morning during my beach week. My friend, her 3 year old granddaughter and I were on the beach. We walked over to a large family group. The men and boys were building a huge sandcastle with big shovels. We introduced ourselves and let my friend's granddaughter marvel at the big hole they were making. One of the men explained he was from Boston with his family. His wife's family was from Pennsylvania. Everyone had driven down to enjoy a week at the beach. My friend and I shared our knowledge of good local seafood and restaurants. As we were talking his sister-in-law and her daughter walked up to us. The daughter looked to be about 10. Both of them held a dead cannonball jellyfish in their hands. My friend and I looked at the dead jellyfish and then at each other in disbelief. Two people were standing beside us with dead jellyfish! And one was a child! I swallowed and then opened my big mouth. In my sweetest southern accent I said very politely, " Jellyfish can sting you even after they are dead." What I really wanted to say was " WTF! Are you insane? I have never ever seen anyone in my entire beach experience carry around a dead jellyfish! And your daughter is carrying one too?! WTF!!!!!" The woman gave my friend and I a big glare and barked out " That is why we are holding them this way!" Okay! I guess I missed the class on how to hold a dead jellyfish. My class was always never to hold a dead jellyfish! So now I am home reading the Charlotte Observer. What do I see but an article on dead jellyfish and that they may be taking over the world's oceans. The article further states jellyfish are edible, a traditional Asian dish. Two Lowcountry teens who were lost at sea for a week survived partly by eating jellyfish. So now I feel really bad. Maybe the lady was planning to eat them for supper. But I would have still felt better if she had scooped them up with a bucket!