A Sydney surfer is recovering after being stung by a box jellyfish, one of the world's most venomous creatures, while on holiday in Fiji. Guy Rowles, 30, was surfing at Cloudbreak, a popular spot near Tavarua, when he felt a painful sting on his arm. He described the sensation as like boiling hot oil.
Rowles, a roofer, was on the first day of a surf trip with his father. After being stung, he paddled to his guide, who identified the injury as a box jellyfish sting and rushed him to a boat. The guide said they needed to get to a hospital immediately as Rowles struggled to breathe.
During the 40-minute boat ride to the mainland and subsequent 20-minute drive to a hospital in Nadi, Rowles feared for his life. He researched box jellyfish venom online and learned it can kill within two to five minutes. At the hospital, doctors applied vinegar to the sting and monitored his heart and breathing for four hours, but said antivenom would not help due to the time elapsed.
Despite the ordeal, Rowles returned to surfing the next day. He admitted feeling anxious but said the ocean is his happy place and nothing would keep him away. He had learned about box jellyfish in school but never expected to be stung.
