Standing in the Footbridge parking lot in Boothbay Harbor May 26, Cricket Klein of Edgecomb was throwing a ball into the water for her dog, Sophie, when she heard the shouts of warning. There was a jellyfish in the harbor.

 

The jellyfish turned out to be a Lion's Mane (Cyanea capillata) and is typically found in the waters of the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans and North and Baltic seas. According to Oceana, their bell can get up to almost 6 feet across, and their tentacles (which number in the thousands) can reach 120 feet long, making them the largest known species in the world. Klein estimates the tentacles she saw were about 20 feet.  

 

Lion’s Mane can sting both in and out of water. A sting is painful, but not dangerous unless the individual is allergic. If tenacles are stuck on skin, use gloves or whatever is nearby to remove.