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Blue, jellyfish-like creatures called Velella velella have been washing up along California’s coast recently, captivating beachgoers and worrying climate scientists tracking stranding patterns.
Gabriel Speyer, who is a member of the South End Rowing Club, was swimming near Aquatic Park near San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square on Wednesday when he noticed these peculiar creatures — also known as “by-the-wind-sailors” — stranded on the shore.
“There were thousands of dead jellyfish all over the beach,” Speyer said, adding that he also noticed them in the water while he was swimming. “They were all over the beach and in the water too. They’re like little rubbery blue-black discs, and when you’re swimming, they just float out of the way.”…