https://sputnikglobe.com/20230411/mostly-harmless-californians-mystified-as-alien-creatures-appear-along-us-coast-1109336574.html
‘Mostly Harmless’: Californians Mystified as Alien Creatures Appear Along US Coast
‘Mostly Harmless’: Californians Mystified as Alien Creatures Appear Along US Coast
Sputnik International
Beach-goers in Southern California were shocked to discover some out-of-this-world visitors Friday when hundreds of “by-the-wind sailors,” creatures which resemble jellyfish and are characterized by their astonishing blue colors, appeared on beaches near Orange County.
2023-04-11T02:34+0000
2023-04-11T02:34+0000
2023-04-11T02:31+0000
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Beach-goers in Southern California were shocked to discover some out-of-this-world visitors Friday when hundreds of “by-the-wind sailors,” creatures which resemble jellyfish and are characterized by their astonishing blue colors, appeared on beaches near Orange County.As one California publication explained, “the creatures’ scientific name is Velella velellas, and they are distinguished by their ‘sails’ on top, which look like a clear mohawk.”The otherworldly specimens have reportedly been spotted making landfall as far as Huntington Beach, California, and South Bay to the north - but they’re also likely to make an appearance elsewhere, according to local experts.“They are going to be washing ashore pretty soon,” said Nona Reimer, who’s known online as ‘Nona the Naturalist.’ She recently encouraged followers on Instagram near Dana Wharf to “watch for [the animals] on the beaches.”According to Huntington Beach’s Marine Safety Battalion Chief Doug Leach, hundreds of the creatures were observed Saturday there as well.Leach cautioned those who encounter the by-the-wind sailors not to touch them, but given the fact that they’re “mostly harmless to humans,” he reportedly said local beaches would remain open.The critters typically keep to the warmer waters of Baja California, Mexico, and were last spotted in Southern California between 2014 and 2016, when visitors observed hundreds of thousands washing up on a number of beaches.
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california, us west coast, by-the-wind sailors, jellyfish
california, us west coast, by-the-wind sailors, jellyfish
‘Mostly Harmless’: Californians Mystified as Alien Creatures Appear Along US Coast
Strange, deep-blue tinted creatures have made landfall across California. But don’t panic — humans face little potential danger from the polyps.
Beach-goers in Southern California were shocked to discover some out-of-this-world visitors Friday when hundreds of “by-the-wind sailors,” creatures which resemble jellyfish and are characterized by their astonishing blue colors, appeared on beaches near Orange County.
As one California publication
explained, “the creatures’ scientific name is Velella velellas, and they are distinguished by their ‘sails’ on top, which look like a clear mohawk.”
“Though by-the-wind sailors look like jellyfish because of their gelatinous nature, they are not, and they don’t have the sting associated with jellies, though their tentacles on the bottom can irritate the skin,” the author explained.
The otherworldly specimens have reportedly been spotted making landfall as far as Huntington Beach, California, and South Bay to the north - but they’re also likely to make an appearance elsewhere, according to local experts.
“They are going to be washing ashore pretty soon,” said Nona Reimer, who’s known online as ‘Nona the Naturalist.’ She recently
encouraged followers on Instagram near Dana Wharf to “watch for [the animals] on the beaches.”
According to Huntington Beach’s Marine Safety Battalion Chief Doug Leach, hundreds of the creatures were observed Saturday there as well.
“We have a ton of them, mostly north of the pier, all over the high tide line as the tide was dropping this morning,” he told local media.
Leach cautioned those who encounter the by-the-wind sailors not to touch them, but given the fact that they’re “mostly harmless to humans,” he reportedly said local beaches would remain open.
The critters typically keep to the warmer waters of Baja California, Mexico, and were last spotted in Southern California between 2014 and 2016, when visitors observed hundreds of thousands washing up on a number of beaches.
