Friends start Facebook page in search for jellyfish-free Cape Breton beaches

A new Facebook page is helping people discover great places to swim in Cape Breton, especially ones with great waves and no jellyfish.

Cape Breton Wave & Jellyfish Watch was started in late July by longtime friends Aaron Corbett and Brad Mills. People post pictures and comments about beach conditions around the island.

"We do not like swimming with jellyfish, but we love waves," said Corbett, who is from Sydney.

He said the pair grew frustrated at driving an hour or two to get to a beach, only to discover lots of jellyfish.

Mills is from Cape Breton, but now lives in Strathroy, Ont. He said he wants to make the most of his time here on summer vacation, so the pair set up the Facebook page to let them know the best beaches for swimming and bodysurfing.

"There are three or four beaches that people started to post that I have never even heard of before," said Mills. "I'm making a Google Maps list, a public list, of all the cool Cape Breton swim spots."

Corbett said he was stung by a jellyfish when he was a child and that has made him fearful of the species.

"I keep my distance, I don't go near them. I respect them. I respect the power they have," he said. "They can swim where they want. I'll swim where I want. We'll just go our separate ways."