By-the-Wind Sailors and blue marine critters like the Portuguese man o’ war have washed ashore on Northern Ireland’s gorgeous north coast. Scientifically known as Velella velella, these fascinating organisms use sail-like structures to travel across the ocean.
Between 5 and 8 centimetres long, By-the-Wind Sailors are Hydrozoa, unlike coastal jellyfish. They move with the wind because to their unique sails, according to Queen’s University Belfast marine biologist Dr. Jonathan Houghton.
Due to strong winds and fluctuating ocean currents, By-the-Wind Sailors have been washing up on Northern Ireland’s beaches recently. Dr. Houghton says storm patterns from the southern US and Caribbean move these organisms across the Atlantic Ocean.
Due to their mild skin irritation, marine experts advise against handling By-the-Wind Sailors, notwithstanding their charm. They eat plankton and are harmless to humans, unlike regular jellyfish, which have powerful stings.
From the mid-Atlantic Azores, By-the-Wind Sailors are symbiotic colonies of microscopic creatures. Most should disintegrate along the seashore or return to the sea at high tide.
Locals and visitors alike are enamored with the ocean’s variety and intriguing inhabitants thanks to By-the-Wind Sailors on Northern Ireland’s north shore. As these extraordinary organisms wander throughout the seas, their occasional trips to shorelines reveal our oceans’ interwoven ecosystems.
