An Australian lad has taken to TikTok to explain the rather petrifying reason no one was swimming in the sea at one Sydney 'beautiful' beach. And it has absolutely nothing to do with sharks.
Having been Down Under myself (something I will mention at every opportunity in true Millennial style), I can vouch for just how stunning its beaches are. But there is a danger to many of them.
Riptides are among the most common reasons not to venture into the water, with strong currents causing countless drownings over the years.
Sharks are also one to watch out for alongside their tiny, painful friends in the form of a box jellyfish which can 'kill in minutes'.
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Not everywhere has these dangers, and you'll see people relaxing and playing in the water as a result. But even without them, there is a hidden danger you might not be aware of.
Hidden Australian beach danger revealed
Taking to TikTok through his account @lil_vb_, one Aussie called Matt showed off the danger you might not even be able to spot at first glance.
In a video captioned about the lifeguard having to 'warn people to get out the water', Matt explains: "How come there are all of these people yet there's like nobody swimming in the ocean.
"Well let me show you."
Moving the camera onto the beach itself, he follows what looks like a long piece of string or seaweed.
Well, it was neither. And the reality is lot more terrifying.
"This is genuinely the most bluebottles I've seen on any beach. Like, ever," Matt says.
What is a 'bluebottle'?
You might know them by another name.
Called bluebottles, they are also known as the Portuguese man o' war or the Pacific man o' war.
Not jellyfish, they are instead close relation called a siphonophore.
And given the relation, that long string that Matt caught on the camera was in fact the tentacles of the animal. And they carry a nasty punch.
Strong enough to paralyse fish and other smaller prey, they won't have the impact on a person but they will be painful - and them some.
Even dead bluebottles, or severed tentacles, carry a nasty punch for hours after dying or being separated.
In some cases among people, there have been reports of cardiac distress and a shortness of breath. Extreme cases have caused death.
"You want to know what the worst part of it is? The water is absolutely beautiful," Matt adds.
"But you never know what could be underneath."
He then cuts to one of the bluebottles being washed up on the beach 'literally two minutes later' as he walks along the shore.
Many in the comment section had no idea what a bluebottle was, with one posting: "Y'all not knowing what a bluebottle is is actually insane to me."
Another wrote about their experience of being stung by a bluebottle, saying they still had a scar to this day. It's a nope from us.
Topics: Australia, Education, Environment, Social Media, TikTok
Tom Earnshaw