Sinaproc Closes Gorgona Beach
Sunday evening, The National System of Civil Protection (SINAPROC) closed Gorgona Beach, a popular beach on Panama’s Pacific Coast, due to multiple cases of “stings from marine life”. During the summers months we often see an increase in stings from both stingrays and jellyfish.
One reason for the increase may simple be that there are more people in the water. Other factors include migratory patterns, mating season, winds and currents.Over the weekend Sinapoc removed close to 250 people from Gorgona beach in an effort to limit human-marine animal encounters. However, we could not confirm that anyone in the area was stung. The only incident reported, occurred in Veracruz Sunday Afternoon, where a man was stung by a Stingray.
It is important to note stingrays are typically harmless, only stinging in self-defense. Injuries can almost always be avoided. “The stingray shuffle" is the main way to avoid stepping on and startling a stingray. Stingrays hide under a thin layer of sand in shallow water. Sliding your feet along instead of stomping down, will send vibrations stingrays can pick up on. These vibrations indicate something bigger than them is coming sending them on their way.
