By-the-Wind Sailors Coming Ashore

About a week-and-a-half ago, another mass stranding of Velella velella occurred along the San Diego County coastline. Some came ashore last summer, but I only saw a couple very old, worn "skeletons" then. This time I got a chance to observe them when they were still fairly fresh. The warm "blob" of water off the coast, and the developing El Nino may be partly to blame here. I know that many more came ashore to the north in California, and as far north as Washington state.

View looking towards the Silver Strand, from just north of Imperial Beach.

Many had lost all their soft tissue, but a fair number still had some, including tentacles.

This was one of the most intact specimens seen. This is the underside with tentacles visible.

Another fairly intact specimen.

Tiny baby Velella! My finger for scale.