How big a problem are they ( Burrum heads area)..especially the Irukandji..?
www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/irukandji-fears-life-savers-drag-nets-along-fraser-island-after-spate-of-stings-20170107-gtnkn9.html
What do you wear to protect yourselves?
What are these lycra body suits and are they practical for windsurfing?

They are the least of a windsurfer's problems at the moment. Seems to be Dugongs and Jet Skis

Select to expand quote

sboardcrazy said..
How big a problem are they ( Burrum heads area)..especially the Irukandji..?
www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/irukandji-fears-life-savers-drag-nets-along-fraser-island-after-spate-of-stings-20170107-gtnkn9.html
What do you wear to protect yourselves?
What are these lycra body suits and are they practical for windsurfing?

The Lycra stinger suits are part of windsurfing gear in Nth Qld, it's basically a switch from a wetsuit at the end of winter to the stinger suit in spring, summer and autumn and back to the wetsuit in winter. They're light, comfortable and easier to get into than a wetsuit and you forget about it once you're on the water. They sell them up here in all sports stores and they cost less than $100. They last about 5 years before wearing thin. They are more protective against box jellyfish. The problem with Irukandji is that they are so tiny and lethal. A stinger suit doesn't protect your face, hands or feet.

The Irukandji seem to be more prevalent offshore on the islands. Most stings I've heard about up here are people snorkelling in the Whitsundays islands. I've never heard a report of anyone copping one at a Mackay beach, but then again no one swims at the beaches here much in summer.

Don't know if there's been any caught at Burrum. If you're concerned wear a stinger suit for extra peace of mind but it won't give you 100% protection. At least there's no crocs at Burrum

They don't know yet what type of stinger it is.
We used to wear stockings back in the mid 80's when sailing cats of Townsville (before stinger suits were on the market) but they didn't last long. The life savers used to wear them as well when dragging the beach at the beginning of the season. As orange whip said the suits don't protect your face, hands or feet, but a sting by a box jelly on the foot or hand probably won't kill you as the number of tentacles would not be a lot. Got stung by a box jelly when swimming back to my board only wearing boardies and t shirt, stung across lower leg and inside of forearm, had burn mark type scars for ages. The adds they were running on tv back then had the person dead in a couple of minutes while being resuscitated on beach by life savers. It took me a couple of minutes to get sailing again after the initial shock. Dosed it with vinegar and packed up n drove to the hospital. The medicos said I probably would have been worse off if I had been stung across the torso as well with a lager number of stings/bigger box jelly.
The Irukandji seem to be a different kettle of fish, with problems starting some hours after being stung.
Oh and I did own a stinger suit the day before I got stung, but left it on the beach after sailing and it disappeared. I owned one the next time I went out, but did not, definitely did not wear my boardies over the top of it.

Sue as said above, if worried get a stinger suit, they're cheap insurance.

Lungs is the first windsurfer I've heard of who's been stung and bugger that One of my kitesurfing mates also got stung one year (foot) in FNQ but he was doing it in light northerly wind, big no no. Generally box jellies don't like rough water, the old idea if windy enough to windsurf they wouldn't be around but who's taking the chance. I've sailed about 20 stinger seasons using a stinger suit, spend too much time in the water and have been ok

I've sailed Burrum a few time and always just boardies. PM Hooray or one of the other locals for info, or KA72 Kellie if no locals see your post ?

Lungs I used to wear my boardies over, it's a toss up which looks worse, that or an old bugger in a lycra suit

I have sailed Burrum Heads a few times each year since 2013. I've never seen anyone in a stinger suit, local or blow in, nor have I heard of anyone getting stung. I've worn boardies, short sleeved rashie in summer and Short John wetsuit in winter. My avatar was taken at Burrum in March 2016

Select to expand quote

firiebob said..
Sue as said above, if worried get a stinger suit, they're cheap insurance.

Lungs is the first windsurfer I've heard of who's been stung and bugger that One of my kitesurfing mates also got stung one year (foot) in FNQ but he was doing it in light northerly wind, big no no. Generally box jellies don't like rough water, the old idea if windy enough to windsurf they wouldn't be around but who's taking the chance. I've sailed about 20 stinger seasons using a stinger suit, spend too much time in the water and have been ok

I've sailed Burrum a few time and always just boardies. PM Hooray or one of the other locals for info, or KA72 Kellie if no locals see your post ?

Lungs I used to wear my boardies over, it's a toss up which looks worse, that or an old bugger in a lycra suit www.seabreeze.com.au/images/forums/icon_smile_big.gif' />

Thanks for the info - with the luck I've had in the last year ( broken ankle with 6 months off) and a roo attack needing stitches I'm sure the little blighters will find me somehow.. Partner has already said he'd prefer me not to go as something will happen..

So are stingers suits made of a similar material to rashies? I already wear a long sleeved rashie shirt..

Sue, The suits are made of Lycra. You can buy full suit or the bottoms only.
Mr Google has many sites. This is just one. wetsuitwarehouse.com.au/collections/mens-stinger-suits
Always wore one in the wet season during my 7 years sailing in Darwin. Did wear boardies over it but used a seat harness.
No Kites in Darwin in those days

Select to expand quote

Jacko51 said..
Sue, The suits are made of Lycra. You can buy full suit or the bottoms only.
Mr Google has many sites. This is just one. wetsuitwarehouse.com.au/collections/mens-stinger-suits
Always wore one in the wet season during my 7 years sailing in Darwin. Did wear boardies over it but used a seat harness.
No Kites in Darwin in those days

Thanks . Yep it would suit me better to buy the bottoms only as I already have plenty of tops. I like the idea that they keep the sun off your legs so it would get use at home as well.

I've been twice Sue and never heard any concerns about stingers. I think it is too far south. The sharks are another matter of course.

Sue, the report you read relates to some tiny creeks on Fraser. I live here and never heard of any around Burrum or Hervey Bay. Like most coastal places, the odd blue bottle is possible in northerly winds, thats about it!

Select to expand quote

andysails said..
Sue, the report you read relates to some tiny creeks on Fraser. I live here and never heard of any around Burrum or Hervey Bay. Like most coastal places, the odd blue bottle is possible in northerly winds, thats about it!

Phew..bleeding media..

do people actually wear stinger suits in Queensland? An Australian at my work in the UK said that they usually don't although tbh i find it hard to imagine. If the jellyfish don't get you the sun surely will?

I believe in FNQ (north of Mackay), during summer, bathers wear stinger suits

Some wear them in Brisbane just for blue blubbers and sun.

Select to expand quote

Kit3kat said..
do people actually wear stinger suits in Queensland?

Do sharks actually s hit in the sea?

maybe your work colleague is an indoors-type from Melbourne?

"I believe in FNQ (north of Mackay), during summer, bathers wear stinger suits" john340 the bathers swim in the sting enclosures there are 3 in townsville.funny thing is they put up signs to warn that stingers are around even when they are not just to force people to swim in them. i asked some lifesavers who were closing
a beach down if there were stingers around, they said no but they wanted to get people to swim in the enclosure.hey lung it is very unusual for you to leave some thing behind.stingers can be bad in any wind conditions so don,t believe if its blowing they won,t be there, northerly winds tend to bring them in,Crocs, seam to be the biggest problem up here