The agony of indecision

There are 30 tabs open on my laptop and 28 of them are for stinger suits.

I am obsessed with finding the perfect one to protect me when I go snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef during stinger season.

I do not trust the cruise ship to have appropriate stinger protection as they couldn’t even deliver on the itinerary they promised. (I am still soooooo dirty about Norfolk Island being replaced by three days at sea and BRISBANE.)

So I have resolved to buy my own suit to ensure I have something that will dramatically reduce my chances of agony and possible death.

According to abc.net.au a woman who was stung by an irukandji while swimming at Magnetic Island described experiencing a sudden onset of intense symptoms, disassociation and a sense of impending doom while waiting for the island’s ambulance to arrive.

“I was having chest pains, pains in the side of my ribs, numbness in my arms, headaches,” she said.

“I was super nauseous, I kept gagging as though I was about to throw up and I realised that something was very wrong. I started to feel like everything was really, really bad.”

The feeling of impending doom is a well-documented reaction to stings.

“Patients believe they’re going to die and they’re so certain of it that they’ll actually beg their doctors to kill them just to get it over with,” Australian biologist Lisa Gershwin told ABC radio in 2007.

It sounds absolutely horrifying.

As for the agonizing over which suit to choose …

Should I get one with an attached hood and gloves? Or would it be more versatile to get a separate hood and gloves?

I’d feel a bit self conscious wearing the hooded one while snorkelling during non-stinger season as sun protection.

But what are the chances of a teeny tiny extremely venomous Irukandji jellyfish slipping through the gaps if I get a separate hood and gloves?

And what about the bits of my face that will still be exposed when I’m wearing the hood? Does anyone make balaclava versions of stinger hoods?

What colour suit should I get? Black is the most slimming, but will a shark mistake me for a seal and eat me if I wear a black one?

What is the best and safest material to choose?

I really like this whale shark patterned one from Ningaloo Swimwear, despite the potential for beached whale jokes. But it’s made from recycled plastic bottles. Are recycled plastic bottles Irukandji proof or should I go for stocking material or Lycra?

I’ve been searching and angsting for days, weeks, and I still can’t make up my mind.

Busy brains are a blessing and a curse. Mainly a curse.

The ocean is my antidote.

Song of the day: REM “Everybody hurts”