Thousands of rubbery blue “windblown sailors” are washing up on California beaches as a result of shifting winds and ocean currents. (Image credit: MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images via Getty Images)
Thousands of rubber sea creatures are filling California beaches.
Clear blobs known as windswept sailors (Velella velella) began accumulating Sunday (March 30) along a number of beaches in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although the creatures resemble jellyfish, they are more closely related to the Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis).
Each of these creatures, which grow to 4 inches (10 centimeters) in length, is actually a colony of hundreds of smaller organisms with specialized functions. Velellas' S-shaped sails float on the ocean's surface, propelling them through the warm waters they call home, while their short tentacles dangle underwater to catch prey.
The bites of sea urchins are relatively mild compared to those of their more dangerous cousins, although experts recommend avoiding touching the face or eyes after exposure.
These blobs are already appearing in droves on beaches around the world, usually in the spring and early summer. The creatures usually live in the open ocean, but strong storms blowing over the coast can wash them onto land.
“This time of year, the ocean along the West Coast is entering upwelling season,” Jennifer Stock, an education specialist at the Great Farallon National Marine Sanctuary in California, told SFGate. Upwelling is the process by which cold, nutrient-rich water rises from the deep ocean.
“The actual start and end of this season varies each year depending on a number of factors, but the presence of swells indicates changes in winds and currents, and swells driven only by wind and current are directed towards the beaches,” Stock added.
Each windswimmer (Velella velella) is actually a colony of hundreds of smaller organisms, each performing specialized functions.
Because velellas cannot move on their own, they remain on the beach until the tide carries them back out to sea or until they die. Recent northerly winds and storms over the past week have brought the animals to the Bay Area — and experts predict that more could be on the beach in the coming days.
“I would say that if we have a good high pressure system, which is usually associated with clear skies but also with upwelling, then
Sourse: www.livescience.com
