this is not an irukandji, it just looks cool. flickr: brainware3000

The 34-year-old guy who blogged his way to a six-month stint as “caretaker” of (really publicist of) a coral reef in Queensland has been stung by a tiny jellyfish. Irukandji jellyfish are so small they are almost impossible to see in the water, they fit through the nets designed to keep jellyfish out of popular swimming spots, and a sting from one, if it doesn’t kill you, can make you wish you’d died.

Ben Southall, the blogger/PR guy survived. It’s cool.

A few thoughts on this:

1. Southall was “just days away” from ending his very public PR campaign for the region. We think Queensland must be kicking themselves for this. (We notice the headlines are suddenly saying things like “Blogger Ignores Tourism Board’s Advice To Wear Anti-Jellyfish Suit” which may be entirely true, who knows.)

2. This is probably not going to make many people wary of this mode of publicity in the future, so if you have a yen for promotion and want to go live on a beach or something, don’t give up. According to this piece from earlier this year, the tourism board’s budget was AUD $1.7 million and BY LAST MAY had already generated more than AUD $110 million. So one little deadly jelly sting isn’t going to dissuade people, we think. Which could mean job opps for you.

3. However, if the winery winner gets cirrhosis we may rethink the previous statement.

(h/t AgencySpy)