If you thought you were scared of jellyfish before, think again.
As terrifying as an almost-invisible creature that can sting you and cause you unbearable amounts of pain inevitably is, I can guarantee there’s now something 10x scarier.
That being this giant jellyfish found off the coast of Cornwall, which was so big it completely overshadowed the size of the diver swimming next to it.
Diver Lizzie Daly came across the huge barrel jellyfish while diving near Falmouth , England, on Saturday (July 13), The Independent reports.
The diver said the sea creature was so large it was as big as her body (although in fairness it looks even bigger) and was the largest of its kind that she had ever seen. Which is some going.
Taking to Twitter soon after she saw the creature, Lizzie wrote:
Woah!!!!! We went diving in Falmouth yesterday to finish off #WildOceanWeek and came across this GIANT barrel jellyfish! What a way to finish off this marine wildlife adventure!
According to The Wildlife Trusts, barrel jellyfish are the largest jellyfish found in UK seas, with most people’s first encounter with them being when they wash ashore in early summer.
Woah!!!!! We went diving in Falmouth yesterday to finish off #WildOceanWeek and came across this GIANT barrel jellyfish! 😱 What a way to finish off this marine wildlife adventure! 💙 pic.twitter.com/NNwDelfWyV
— Lizzie Daly (@LizzieRDaly) July 14, 2019
The sea creatures usually gravitate towards warmer coastal areas in the late spring and often wash up on British beaches in May or June – sometimes in their hundreds. Yikes. Barrel jellyfish aren’t considered dangerous to humans, but they do possess the ability to sting so it is advised not to approach them when they are alive, or if they have washed up on a beach. They can still sting when dead.
Lizzie, a biologist and wildlife presenter, was diving as part of her Wild Ocean Week campaign, which aims to celebrate our oceans while raising money for the Marine Conservation Society.
The biologist said in a statement about her adventure:
I want to bring the audience on the journey with me so I will be uploading videos and updates live as it happens throughout the week.
Diving with seals, swimming with blue sharks and generally celebrating our coasts #WildOceanWeek is about showcasing how you can immerse yourself with diverse wildlife right on your doorstep and most importantly, supporting those on the forefront of conserving our marine environments
The diver’s campaign began on July 7 and finished yesterday (July 14), during which Lizzie went diving with seals, snorkelling with blue sharks, and swimming among jellyfishes.
The incredible footage of the jellyfish was captured on her final day, a breathtaking (but terrifying) way to end her seven day campaign.
Well, that’s me staying away from the sea for approximately 1,749 years.
You can donate to Lizzie’s campaign here.
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A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).