Can anyone help me identify this jellyfish?

Portugese Man-O- War
They are very common on the ocean beaches in Florida and are always in groups. Your mother’s pic, although not great, is clearly that of the Man. The long tentacles and color of the baloon ID it.

I was just about to say the same thing as gail. Here is another link.

Really? I guess I didn’t do enough research. I had thought that Man o’ war were very poisonous, and if so many were on a beach that they would close it.

You learn something new every day!

Thanks @gailcalled and @shilolo.

You have to avoid stepping on the tentacles. And I certainly wouldn’t swim where a crowd of them were beached.

“Stings usually cause severe pain to humans, leaving whip-like, red welts on the skin which normally last about forty-five minutes after which it should subside.

However, the venom can travel to the lymph nodes and may cause, depending on the amount of venom, more intense pain. A sting may lead to an allergic reaction. There can also be serious effects, including fever, shock, and interference with heart and lung action.

There have even been deaths, although this is rare. Medical attention may be necessary, especially where pain persists or is intense, or there is an extreme reaction, or the rash worsens, or a feeling of overall illness develops, or a red streak develops between swollen lymph nodes and the sting, or if either area becomes red, warm and tender.”

Source: Wikipedia

My poor daughter was stung last year off the coast of NC by a PMOW, and it was terrible! You and your Mother were so lucky, Eambos, to have not been stung.

My daughter screamed in agony when stung. The beach patrol took a credit card and scraped the stung area to remove the “stingers”. Afterward, they instructed her to actually sit in the salt water, not fresh, (that took some convincing). Advil, benadryl, and some rest, and she was feeling much better. Her legs looked as though she had been whipped with chains for days.

@edit; balloon

In Florida they don’t close the beaches usually but put out purple flags. I have been stung a bunch by jellies but not by a MOW. I had to go to the hospital once.