‘By-the-wind sailors' spotted by San Diego beachgoers
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A number of blue jellyfish-like sea creatures have once again been found beached up and down the San Diego shoreline.
The blue, almost translucent organisms known as Velella velella, or 'by-the-wind sailors,' were spotted in places like La Jolla, Pacific Beach and Coronado, according to iNaturalist — the third time in as many years beachgoers have encountered the creatures along the shore.
Velella velella is a type of colonial hydroid, a species similar to the Portuguese Man O'War that is characterized by traveling in groups. The creatures float in colonies, using a sail-like appendage to travel the water's surface with the wind — hence the name 'by-the-wind sailors.'
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The species are mostly found in the warmer waters of the world's oceans. Their preference for more temperate waters means they are a common sight off the West Coast, often getting pushed onto the shores of California, Oregon and Washington by the breeze and tide.
As the Velella velella have no locomotive abilities, once the creatures are on shore, they remain there until getting pulled back into the ocean by waves or they begin breaking down naturally.
Photos of San Diego-area Velella velella encounters in 2023 and 2024 can be found below.
While the creatures are not related to true jellies, the Velella velella do share one characteristic with those species of fish: stinging cells.
Scientists say their stings, which are used to stun their zooplankton prey, are not considered dangerous to humans, but they still advise it is best to keep a distance from them on the shore to admire them.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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