lots of blue marine life on Destin beach

[toesinthesand]

Hi I just found this board and I just recently visited Destin, and I love this area!!! I think I will start comming here instead of treasure island, its closer and more peaceful. I have a question, as I was walking on the beach I saw alot of oval shaped blue things, all washed up on the beach, they look like the inside of a shell, but I was just curious if they were a type of jelly fish or what, the birds were eating on them. Thanks!! cant wait to get my toes back in the gulf sand.

 

[iwishiwasthere]

Glad to have you on board. As for the sea creature, ??? Post often.

 

[Kurt]

They were probably Portugese Man Of War. We have purple flags out for them in SoWal.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Kurt is right on target. There are many of them on the beach which have dried up and are now completely clear. They look like a shell imprint on plastic with a little handle. I am not sure if the toxins are still in the remaining part of the jellyfish, but I wouldn't be playing to much with them.

 

[Paula]

Amazing photo, Kurt. I've never seen one that looks like that, though I have seen the clear ones on the beach, usually small ones now and then.

 

[toesinthesand]

thank you!!! these things were flat and small 1/2 inch hairs around the edges, and clear in the center with a clear thin (fin) straight up the blue rim was 1/2 inch in diameter clear but circular designs in the center and the thing sticking up. I didnt touch them just looked at them, no long tenicals,and there were a few small ones about the size of a quarter, and the rest the size of an optical mouse for a pc, only flat. they all looked fresh and not dried up. There were probably 100 or so. Thanks agian for the info. Does everybody have to be millinares to live on the gulf coast? how does an average person afford housing on the emerald isle. Thanks again for all the responses, I took pix of them and if I get them developed in a couple of days I will try to post it.

 

[Smiling JOe]

thank you!!! these things were flat and small 1/2 inch hairs around the edges, and clear in the center with a clear thin (fin) straight up the blue rim was 1/2 inch in diameter clear but circular designs in the center and the thing sticking up. I didnt touch them just looked at them, no long tenicals,and there were a few small ones about the size of a quarter, and the rest the size of an optical mouse for a pc, only flat. they all looked fresh and not dried up. There were probably 100 or so. Thanks agian for the info. Does everybody have to be millinares to live on the gulf coast? how does an average person afford housing on the emerald isle. Thanks again for all the responses, I took pix of them and if I get them developed in a couple of days I will try to post it.

Those which you describe finding on the beach are what Kurt posted in the photo. When I say dried up, I mean they lost the color, the airpocket deflated to a thin fin shape, the tentacles are gone. The remains are not brittle, but instead are very plyable and feel a bit like latex.

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

Actually, the little sea creatures that are have washed up are called velella velella. Velella velella is the genus/species name, but that is what they commonly go by also. They are blue, but become clear after they die. They are related to the Portuguese Man o' War. Each velella velella is actually a colony of separate organisms and they float on the water with a "sail" that catches the wind. The velella velella has a very mild sting.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Actually, the little sea creatures that are have washed up are called viella viella. Viella viella is the genus/species name, but that is what they commonly go by also. They are blue, but become clear after they die. They are related to the Portugues Man o' War. Each viella viella is actually a colony of separate organisms and they float on the water with a "sail" that catches the wind. The viella viella has a very mild sting.

Interesting.:scratch: Where can I find more info on the viella viella? I can seem to find any info on the web regarding viella viella.

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

Interesting.:scratch: Where can I find more info on the viella viella? I can seem to find any info on the web regarding viella viella.

Umm, I just edited by previous post because I mispelled it. It is velella velella. Just search it on google. There are tons of pictures, etc. My kids and I figured out what they were by doing some web research on "Jellyfish in the Gulf of Mexico." However, you don't need to do that. As I said there are many references on "velella velella."