Mallorca’s Beaches Blanketed by Mysterious Blue Slime
An unusual natural phenomenon has resulted in a beach in Majorca being blanketed with a gooey blue substance.
Both locals and tourists didn’t find their usual golden sandy shores when they woke up today, transforming what typically draws many visitors to the Balearic islands into something quite different.
Rather than what they expected, they encountered coastlines in Port de Sóller covered with countless slippery blue entities.
A clip capturing this bizarre event reveals increasing amounts of odd formations being hurled onto the beach by the ocean currents.
Even though this observation appears as if it’s out of this world, there is actually a completely terrestrial explanation for what we’re seeing.
The unusual-looking creatures are actually By-the-wind-sailors, which frequently get swept onto land due to powerful winds.
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Jake Bullitt noticed a By-the-wind-sailor jellyfish on the shore and posted about it online.
He mentioned that countless tiny Velellas, also known as By-the-Wind-Sailors, had been washed up at the western edge of the bay, with even more continuing to wash ashore.
Even though they share an uncanny resemblance to the Portuguese man o’ war — known for its painful stings — By-the-wind-sailors pose little threat to humans, as their sting typically causes only minor skin irritation.
The problem these beaches in Majorca currently encounter is dealing with the deceased marine life. If left unremoved, these organisms can begin to decompose, producing an unpleasant smell and drawing flies.
By-the-Wind-Sailors are commonly found in warmer waters during the spring and winter seasons.
Their names originate from their unusual form, which looks like a ship’s sail.
True to their namesake, jellyfish traverse the globe in groups with their ‘sail’ assisting them during these journeys.
Throughout their voyage, the By-the-wind-sailors employ their tentacles and stingers to hunt smaller creatures and juvenile fish.
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