Purple jellyfish, a voracious sea turtle, and a bunch of FREE books!

Hi All! Today, I have a newsletter out and it features FREE kindle books and a bunch of fun news from my life in Greece.

The beaches here in my little town of Nea Peramos, West Attica, are not as full as they normally are this time of year. The reason is the water is full of a dangerous kind of jellyfish, not the usual transparent or brown ones we get. These are purple jellyfish, also mentioned as Mauve stinger (Pelagia Noctiluca) online, the Latin name owed to the fact that it glows in the dark! And this exotic creature is now found all over the coast of Attica and other parts of Greece. It has also been sighted in Ionian waters, so if you’re swimming in my beloved Corfu this summer keep your guard up, folks, just in case!

No one knows with certainty how these jellyfish wound up in our waters in such large numbers this year.

Because of this, I haven’t braved a visit to the beach yet for a swim, and this week it’s 38 degrees C and not fun at all.

The scientists say the phenomenon could abate soon, but then may reappear at the end of July because of the fluctuations of temperature that affect that of the water. So, the news is bad for this summer.

Still, the scientists have given the public precise advice on how to tackle the problem if someone gets stung. As it turns out, the purple jellyfish is not like the others. It is actually recommended not to use the well-known remedies of ammonia and… erm… Joey Tribbiani’s infamous trick of… uhh… ‘weeing on it’.

No. The purple jellyfish’s neurotoxin-carrying cells left on the skin can only be neutralized with the use of baking soda! This is the best way to alkalize the affected area immediately. And, before applying the baking soda, you need to wipe the area with something like a glove or a towel (not the naked hand) in order to remove any cell debris carefully, using seawater. Strictly NOT tap water.

The instruction is very particular, but thankfully clear, as if someone gets it wrong and is allergic to the sting, they could wind up in hospital.

With these horrors to consider, I am definitely packing a small thick towel in my beach bag this summer and some baking soda. Not taking any chances, folks! And it looks like I’ll have to leave my usual straying to the deep waters for another year maybe. I’ll be paddling in the shallows–and checking all around me incessantly–for the foreseeable future this summer!

Marios, a caretta caretta sea turtle from Naxos, can gobble up over 100 jellyfish in 30 minutes! How amazing is that? You’ll find more details about Marios in my latest newsletter, along with more fun news from my life in Greece, a yummy risotto recipe, and a bunch of FREE books! It’s all bound to put a smile on your face faster than you can say ‘spanakopitta’! GO HERE AND ENJOY!

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. The story is inspired from the author’s love for Moraitika and its people. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

Planning to visit Greece? Check out Effrosyni’s travel guide to the idyllic villages of Moraitika and Messonghi in south Corfu. Best tavernas, beaches, boat trips and more! http://bit.ly/1IPwNPv