“This is worse than child birth,” testified one Seal Beach stingray victim as she soaked her foot in a bucket of hot water at the lifeguard station.
Stingrays have always been problematic in Southern California when the water warms up during the summer months, but with record-breaking ocean temperatures up and down the coast, the aptly nicknamed “devil fish” has been on a rampage the last few months.
The stats tell the story. The Associated Press reports that lifeguards at the California State Parks at Bolsa Chica and Huntington Beach have already reported 3,100 stingray “incidents” his year. And while we’re still only halfway through August, that’s more than double the total number reported in 2025. In the three and half miles of shore that is managed by the City of Huntington Beach, they’ve seen more than 2,000 incidents. Further south, San Diego beachgoers have suffered over 900 stingray wounds in the first six month of 2026.
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It’s worth noting that these numbers are probably fairly conservative because they only record the wounds that lifeguards have responded to, the number of people that limp off the beach on their own accord is likely much higher. For example, Seal Beach, where I served as a lifeguard in the late ’90s, is reputed as a hotbed for stingrays due to the warm, sometimes hot, water flowing out of the San Gabriel River (dubbed “Ray Bay”). Their stats for this summer have to be through the roof. Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the California State University, Long Beach’s Shark Lab, has studied the stingray population there for years and once told me the population is pretty much “infinite” and blankets the bottom.
So, why the uptick in stingray wounds this summer? Warmer coastal waters are likely the culprit. The stingrays love warm water and sandy bottoms, and with ocean temps reaching 80 degrees at one point this summer, the stingrays have moved in closer to shore. And with sweltering summer temps on land, there’s also been an uptick in people seeking respite in the sea. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Stingrays feature a serrated barb on their tails that is coated with a neurotoxin. When the fish are stepped on or threatened by predators, they defend themselves by whipping their tail at the threat. When the barb pierces the skin, more often than not on the foot or around the ankle, the neurotoxin is absorbed into the bloodstream, unleashing immense pain.
What To Do If You’re Stung By A Stingray
Should you be unlucky enough to get zapped, the first course of action should be to submerge the affected area in hot water as quickly as possible. The hotter the water the better. It will begin to breakdown the neurotoxin and the victim should start to feel some relief fairly quickly. But don’t be fooled when things start feeling better, the affected area needs to stay in that hot water for a significant period of time to really be effective. Take it out too soon and the pain comes roaring back.
Depending on the severity of the wound, going to see a doctor is also advisable. Due to the serrated barb, the wounds can bleed a lot and sometimes require stitches. And you’re definitely going to want to avoid infection. A doctor will be able to properly clean out the wound and potentially prescribe antibiotics. As a cautionary tale, I got stung on my big toe a couple of years ago, didn’t go to the doctor and the recovery process took weeks and my toe looked like it was rotting. Don’t be like me, seek help.
How To Avoid Stingray Wounds
Stingrays thrive in the shallows of flat, sandy beaches. The warmer the water the better. Whether you’re paddling out or just going for a swim, the “stingray shuffle” is a must. Instead of taking big steps through the water, shuffle your feet along the bottom. This will prevent you from stepping down on them and, hopefully, scare them off.
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