california man o war or (vellella valella) are washing up now on California beaches and have for some time now
One should be careful not to step on them as they dry out in the sun and go from Blue blobs with a clear sail on top that pushes them across the sea to become eventually sort of like clear pieces of plastic looking as they dry out. They don't sting your barefeet but they can irritate the skin so walking barefoot on them isn't a good idea. And one time I was wearing crocs on the beach and some stuck to my crocs and it was really hard to get off my crocs because they stuck like glue (the blue gooey parts). But, most of the time if it is warm enough I go wading barefoot in the waters like people did more in the 1950s through the 1970s more in Southern California when I was growing up and becoming a surfer and Scuba Diver and snorkeler in Southern California. So, I'm very careful not to step on them and this is relatively easy to do because they wash up in groups mostly. and even if you are wading among them in the edge of the surf where it meets the shore usually they won't harm your bare feet or legs. However, trying to get off the sticky things from my crocs with my hands I felt the irritation on the skin and had to go wash my hands. So, even though they are not poisonous they still will irritate your hands or face or potentially your feet if you step on them with your barefeet. So, be careful if you see them on California beaches dead or dying in the hot spring sun after washing far across the oceans by the thousands of blue blobs with a clear sail on top.
I usually walk my dog ( a blue merle Corgi) almost every day at the beach when I'm home on the beach near San Francisco area.
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The "California man-o-war" you're referring to is actually Velella velella, also known as "by-the-wind sailors".They
are blue, jellyfish-like creatures with a translucent, sail-like
appendage that helps them float on the surface of the ocean.While they may look similar to the more dangerous Portuguese man-of-war, Velella velella's stings are generally considered mild and harmless to humans.
While they have stinging cells, their stings are generally not dangerous to humans.
What Are Those Blue Blobs Washing Up On SoCal Beaches? | Scripps Institution of Oceanography
May 19, 2023
Scripps Institution of Oceanography |
Common Jellyfish on the Oregon coast
Velella
velella, or by-the-wind sailor. Usually in spring, but occasionally in
winter, great windrows of blue- to purple-bodied je...
Oregon Sea Grant
What are those blue blobs piling up on San Diego beaches? Velella ...
Apr
30, 2024 — Noticing some jelly-like, blue blobs on San Diego beaches
lately? Those are none other than Velella velella, also know...
NBC 7 San Diego
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The scientific name of the jellyfish is Velella velella.
A good common name is “by-the-wind sailors,” or you might prefer the
shorter “purple sailor.” Some beachcombers call them Portuguese
man-of-war, but this is incorrect.
Why are there so many Velella velella in California?
In
the winter months, the wind along the U.S. west coast typically blows
from the south, but in April, the prevailing wind direction shifts from
northward to southward, and that shift leaves huge numbers of Velella beached along the shoreline, Bracken explained.May 8, 2025
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