If you walk along Morro Strand State Beach, you may have noticed jellyfish-like creatures washed up along the shore.
“They are all over by the thousands, all over the beach,” said Edward Diaz, a Morro Bay resident.
The clear, iridescent, blue sea creatures are called Velella Velella, known more commonly by their nickname, By the Wind Sailors.
“At first, they look like mussel shells, so you think they are safe to step on, but they are very sticky and stick to your shoes, and they emit a foul odor,” Diaz said.
A big giveaway of their return is the familiar stench.
“Definitely the smell, once they beach themselves,” Diaz said.
Morro Bay resident Rick Gilligan lives near the beach and agrees.
“We go out and smell it and go, 'Oh, they are back,'” Gilligan said.
Gilligan recently left the beach early because he did not want his dogs near the Velella Velella.
“It was a little overpowering, and we didn’t want [the] dogs to have any problems with any of the rotting creatures,” said Gilligan.
Once Diaz gets home, he takes a power washer to his shoes to be sure he does not track a Vellela Velella— or its pungent odor— inside.
California State Parks officials say By the Wind Sailors tend to float together in large numbers, often washing ashore around the springtime due to wind and currents.
Right now, you can find the jellyfish-related creatures in places like Cayucos and Morro Bay.
“I have not seen such an influx of them on the beach as we have lately,” Diaz said.
Velella Velella uses its stinging tentacles to paralyze and feed on plankton.
California State Parks says it is best to keep yourself and your pets away from the sea creatures, as coming in contact with them can irritate the skin.
