Just came back from a kiting session in south Palm Beach County. There were hundreds of Portuguese on the beach. Heading out I saw on average one per 30 square feet although at times you might see five clumped together. There are a LOT of these guys on and near the shore. It is strange to see so many with a south, near sideshore wind. Usually you see more with NE to E winds here. We haven't seen that many Portuguese this season, looks like they're making up for lost time.
If I am expecting Man-O-War I usually wear a full wetsuit and keep looking to windward. If you get dosed badly enough or are vulnerable you can go into shock after getting stung. Not a good thing if you are still well offshore. There are preparations in drug stores specific for jellyfish stings and other suitable treatments. They are now saying vinegar, Adolphs Meat tenderizer and even urine have been documented to cause nematocysts to fire in some cases and aren't universally recommended any longer? If you suffer the slightest difficulty in breather or change in consciousness it should be considered a medical emergency and seek professional medical care pronto! More at:
http://www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/portugue.html They can hurt like a mother so the best course is to avoid being hit by them.
They were a lot thicker than this in some areas of beach and about a 3/8 mile offshore.
I understand they are thick in the Florida Keys as well right now.