🪼 Kid News of the Week: The Mystery of the Blue Beach Blobs!
- Destiny May
- Jun 19
- 1 min read
Have you ever walked along the beach and seen thousands even millions of bright blue blobs covering the sand? That’s exactly what has been happening along the West Coast in California, Oregon, and Washington! These strange ocean creatures are called “By-the-Wind Sailors” (Velella velella).
Even though they look like jellyfish, they aren’t actually jellyfish! They are tiny floating colonies made up of many specialized parts working together as one animal. They have a small clear “sail” that catches the wind and allows them to travel across the ocean’s surface.
This spring, strong winds pushed millions of them onto beaches where they became stranded. Some are still washing ashore, while others have dried out and turned clear and brittle, almost looking like pieces of plastic.
Did You Know?
By-the-Wind Sailors come in “left-handed” and “right-handed” versions! The angle of their tiny sail determines which direction the wind pushes them.
Think Like a Scientist:
Why do you think having different sail directions might help these creatures survive in the ocean?
Have your kids research the mysterious bright blue blobs washing up on West Coast beaches, known as By-the-Wind Sailors (Velella velella), and complete the worksheet below!
This activity encourages reading comprehension, research skills, critical thinking, and ocean science exploration while investigating one of nature's strangest recent events.
Resources: Smithsonianmag.com, kqed.com, NPS.gov cbs news
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