‘Thousands’ of jellyfish-like creatures appear on Cornwall beach

“Thousands” of jellyfish-like creatures washed up on a beach in Cornwall this week. A huge pile of the unusual creature is believed to have been blown away by strong winds.

Friends of Portheras Cove, who look after the beach in north-west Cornwall, say they came across a “sad” sight on Thursday (May 23). They estimate that thousands of wind sailors were washed up on the beach.

According to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, wind sailors are a type of colonial hydroid. They are similar to Portuguese Man O’Wars in that they are made up of a colony of different organisms living together to make it look like one animal.

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The species gets its name from the characteristic “sail” that allows them to catch the wind and travel on ocean currents. It can be identified by its blue-purple oval disc and a thin semicircular fin diagonally across the top. The creature also has short tentacles that hang in the water. They are used to sting prey such as young fish and other small animals, but are not thought to be harmful to humans.

They are usually found washed up in hundreds and thousands after stormy weather as they are completely at the mercy of the wind. Friends in Portheras Cove believe the group that washed up on the beach this week was blown by strong north-westerly onshore winds.

In a Facebook post, Friends of Portheras Cove wrote: “Mass of 1000s of By-the-Wind-Sailors in the bay today due to strong onshore NWs. So sad to see these amazing creatures like this.

“They are tiny hydrozoans, each a colony of different organisms living together in harmony, so they look like one animal. The “sail” top section allows them to float above the waves drifting with the tides and winds, but they are completely the same. at the mercy of the elements and so cannot head far offshore if the wind then blows in that direction!

“Although related to the larger and more dangerous Portuguese-Man-o-War, these little people are not harmful to us (although we wouldn’t encourage your dogs to sniff or lick them!). Mother Nature’s drawings (as always) are the most beautiful.”