Come on in, watery… scary: Jellyfish plague kayak hotspots as far as the eye can see
Sea kayak tour guide Chris Dennehy spotted the animals on a paddle this week
Incredible photo shows a mass of jellyfish – in Scottish waters.
Sea kayak tour guide Chris Dennehy spotted the animals on a paddle this week.
He explained: ‘I run Clearwater Paddling, a sea kayak guiding company based on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides.
‘I was leading a group exploring the cliffs and caves on Barra’s west coast when my 15-year-old daughter Ellie spotted the compass jellyfish in a rocky gully.
‘They were on the steep rocky creek at Green Head.
Incredible photo shows a mass of jellyfish – in Scottish waters. Sea kayak tour guide Chris Dennehy spotted the animals on a paddle this week.
Mr Dennehy said: ‘I was leading a group exploring cliffs and caves on Barra’s west coast when my 15-year-old daughter Ellie spotted the compass jellyfish in a rocky gully.’
‘I joked that it was ‘like kayaking in jelly fish soup being gently stirred with a kayak paddle’.’
Named for their compass-like markings, jellyfish can emit a shrill sound even after their tentacles are detached.
Mr Dennehy added: ‘Over the last 25 years I have seen large swarms of jellyfish in the summer months when we are kayaking.
‘But to have such a close encounter was totally exceptional and fascinating.
But he added that it might not be the best place to capsize from a kayak.
Compass jellyfish can be seen in British waters from May to October. They are native to the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts including the UK, Ireland, Türkiye.
They are an orange-brown color, with dark dots and striking lines around the body.
Named for their compass-like markings, jellyfish can emit a shrill sound even after their tentacles are detached.
Mr Dennehy added: ‘Over the last 25 years I have seen large swarms of jellyfish in the summer months when we go kayaking.’
Experts warn that species are now moving closer to shore with rising ocean temperatures.
They are up to a foot (30 cm) in diameter and live up to a year, changing sex from male to female as they mature.
Peter Tinsley, marine evidence officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: ‘The sea is warming and the water is fairly calm which has stimulated an increase in jellyfish numbers, so you are more likely to see them in the bay.
‘We have seen compass jellyfish off the Dorset coast and I would advise anyone to avoid touching them because of their sting.’