SEASIDE, Ore. -- Millions of Velella velella are washing up onto the beach in Seaside, but they look a lot different than years past.
They are tiny. Some are the size of a grain of rice.
To many beach goers they look like a purplish colored slime.
Keith Chandler with the Seaside Aquarium says the jellyfish-looking creatures are small because they are young.
He says while it is not unusual to see the creatures wash ashore in the spring, to have them wash ashore this early is unusual.
“These are pretty small... usually they wash up a little later and they’re larger... this is a little early for them this year,” said Chandler.
He says the Velella velella are pushed onto shore by the west winds, and ocean conditions have to be just right.
While many are likely still living when they hit the beach, Chandler says they are not dangerous.
“They have little stingers but they’re not going to hurt anybody, they just feed on the plankton,” he said. “They’re not killers.”
A slimy, slick and surprisingly small attraction that won’t stay around for long. The wind that blew them in, will soon blow them away.