Britons are puzzled by the appearance of numerous extraordinary alien-like creatures that have washed ashore on various beaches along the Welsh coast.
The stunningly beautiful blue sea creatures, believed to be Velella Velella, similar to the Portuguese Man o’ War, are typically found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Locals described them as crystal-like and reported seeing large numbers of them on beaches in Anglesey and along the west Gwynedd coast, with hundreds spotted in Barmouth alone.
The sudden arrival of these creatures, dubbed the “blue tide,” surprised many beach visitors, with some likening them to alien jellyfish and others considering them one of the most bizarre sights on a beach.
Although not uncommon, these creatures are usually seen in autumn and winter. Marine expert Frankie Hobro, owner of Anglesey Sea Zoo in Bynsiencyn, noted that their stings are relatively mild compared to Portuguese man o’ war but cautioned against touching them, especially on sensitive areas like the face or lips.
By-the-wind-sailors, which are colonial hydroids rather than single creatures, consist of tiny individual animals forming a colony with an electric blue appearance. With small sails that catch the wind, these creatures are about 7cm long and are carried by the wind, ending up in various locations purely by chance.
Frankie mentioned that the late appearance of these creatures in June is unusual, possibly due to weather patterns. She expressed concern about the increasing overlap between the arrival times of Portuguese Man o’ War and other marine creatures like By-the-wind-sailors, indicating the impact of climate change on ocean currents.