Lions Mane Jellyfish | Dangerous Freediving and swimming with Lion's Mane Jelly Fish

Freediving in Jervis Inlet, by Chatterbox waterfall, I was lucky enough to come across a dozen or more Lions Mane Jellyfish! Underwater there exists a whole world of weird and wonderful translucent creatures but one is larger and more dangerous than the rest.

The Lion’s mane jellyfish, one of the largest species of jellyfish in the world and can grow up to 120 Feet Long. Although a vast majority of encounters are not fatal, a Lions mane jellyfish and each of its tentacle nematocysts contain potent neurotoxins that can be harmful to humans.
Not the time to test if you’re allergic to jellyfish or not.

The Lions mane Jellyfish can be found in cold, boreal waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic, and northern Pacific Oceans. I do most of my snorkeling and freediving mostly in the Pacific North West and around Vancouver Island and the southern gulf islands.

A lion’s mane jellyfish has a limited diet that consists of small fish, other smaller jellyfish, zooplankton, and moon jellies.
Named because its orange and gold bell and tentacles remind people of the colour and texture of a lion’s mane, yet it is made up almost entirely of water and has a short lifespan of one year.

Protected in my thick 7mm Mako Spearfishing diving wetsuit it was exciting to get up close and personal with this ocean giant, and my fellow shipmates had a lucky escape with their skins! No one got stung. It was our lucky day all round.

Dangerous stinging poisonous jelly fish, jelly fish that can sting, stinging tentacles.