For some people, even the smallest and least lethal jellyfish are cause enough to steer clear of the ocean.
But you don’t need to have seen The Meg, The Meg 2, or a Portuguese man-o-war to know there’s some really nasty stuff out in the big blue.
Teeth and tentacles and stingers are all par for the course in the open ocean, and one oil rig worker’s horrifying video has been a not-entirely-pleasant reminder that you should be careful where you go for a dip.
The viral video has scared a few beachgoers shirtless – or maybe they were already shirtless? – with many a comment renouncing the ocean for good.
In the video, the aforementioned oil rig worker is whiling away the hours atop one of its platforms. Phobias are quick to trigger, with the distance between him and the water being enough to set some palms sweating.
Standing atop the platform’s metal grate, with plenty of visible ocean beneath him, the oil rig worker starts dropping bits of leftover lunch into the water below.
It’s unclear what manner of foodstuff he’s dropping in the video, with commenters suggesting it could be anything from a flapjack to a chunk of chicken nugget.
Whatever it is, something deep below didn’t half like the taste of it.
The food hasn’t been in the water for long before the ocean surface starts fizzing and thrashing with activity.
As if from nowhere, hundreds of fish are on the scene, smacking each other aside for a morsel of the heavenly bounty.
It’s unclear what kind of fish they are, but in such numbers it’s fair to assume they aren’t of the toothy, stealthy, stalk-you-with-its-dorsel-fin-on-display type,
Nevertheless, it’s a frightening sight that’s got plenty of viewers swearing never to get in the sea again.
"Well, I’m never swimming outside a pool ever again," said one.
"Note to self: don't fall off an oil rig," joked another.
A third commented: "Bro singlehandedly caused an all-out war down there."
If you fancy a bit more fear, check out this video of a man feeding bona fide sharks from the top of an oil rig. Good luck if you fall in there, chum.
Featured Image Credit: Reinhard Dirscherl via Getty Images
Rachael Davis