A By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella) skeleton.
Although it looks and feels like plastic, these are the organic remains of a colonial hydroid called a By-the-Wind Sailor. The ringed part is a floating base, and the clear fin acts as a sail, allowing winds to propel them across the ocean surface.
Although it looks and feels like plastic, these are the organic remains of a colonial hydroid called a By-the-Wind Sailor. The ringed part is a floating base, and the clear fin acts as a sail, allowing winds to propel them across the ocean surface.
June 7, 2025 at 6:59 PM
A By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella) skeleton.
Although it looks and feels like plastic, these are the organic remains of a colonial hydroid called a By-the-Wind Sailor. The ringed part is a floating base, and the clear fin acts as a sail, allowing winds to propel them across the ocean surface.
Although it looks and feels like plastic, these are the organic remains of a colonial hydroid called a By-the-Wind Sailor. The ringed part is a floating base, and the clear fin acts as a sail, allowing winds to propel them across the ocean surface.
Kailua Beach, Hawai’i: The first time I laid eyes on a By-the-wind sailor, I stopped dead in my tracks, dusted the sand off my hands, grabbed my iphone and...
October 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Kailua Beach, Hawai’i: The first time I laid eyes on a By-the-wind sailor, I stopped dead in my tracks, dusted the sand off my hands, grabbed my iphone and...
A magnificent by-the-wind sailor or Velella velella washed up this morning, one of the largest we've found. It's often said that most by-the-wind sailors are left-handers, their sails running from upper left to lower right. But this was a right hander.
July 3, 2025 at 6:38 AM
A magnificent by-the-wind sailor or Velella velella washed up this morning, one of the largest we've found. It's often said that most by-the-wind sailors are left-handers, their sails running from upper left to lower right. But this was a right hander.
Snapped a few more photos this morning ⛵
March 22, 2026 at 11:52 PM
Snapped a few more photos this morning ⛵
Velella velella, the by-the-wind sailor. First of the season to wash ashore.
April 17, 2026 at 4:54 AM
Velella velella, the by-the-wind sailor. First of the season to wash ashore.
October 20, 2025 at 8:59 PM
A freshly washed in By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella), its coloured tentacles still vibrant. These open ocean drifters occasionally was ashore in large numbers.
County Clare, Ireland.
County Clare, Ireland.
August 9, 2025 at 9:01 AM
A freshly washed in By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella), its coloured tentacles still vibrant. These open ocean drifters occasionally was ashore in large numbers.
County Clare, Ireland.
County Clare, Ireland.
A shipwrecked By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella). Cast up by high tide and winds, left to dry out on the burren limestone.
County Clare, Ireland.
County Clare, Ireland.
October 7, 2025 at 9:02 AM
A shipwrecked By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella). Cast up by high tide and winds, left to dry out on the burren limestone.
County Clare, Ireland.
County Clare, Ireland.
4/ "The rest of the collective masses, by contrast, resemble a sullen sailor in a tattered overcoat, freezing in the chilly St. Petersburg wind and watching the elites' festivities through the glass.
June 5, 2026 at 7:21 PM
4/ "The rest of the collective masses, by contrast, resemble a sullen sailor in a tattered overcoat, freezing in the chilly St. Petersburg wind and watching the elites' festivities through the glass.
"Protected by Saturn, Planet of Silence, I am the soldier of destruction and rebirth. I am Sailor Saturn."
📸: Hachiroku (Instagram)
The wind was a paid actor. 💪🏻
📸: Hachiroku (Instagram)
The wind was a paid actor. 💪🏻
July 21, 2025 at 4:34 PM
"Protected by Saturn, Planet of Silence, I am the soldier of destruction and rebirth. I am Sailor Saturn."
📸: Hachiroku (Instagram)
The wind was a paid actor. 💪🏻
📸: Hachiroku (Instagram)
The wind was a paid actor. 💪🏻
March 30, 2025 at 2:52 PM
By-The-Wind Sailor on Traigh Eais, one of many hundreds washing ashore along with thousands of Moon Jellyfish on Barra today in a fresh westerly breeze. #beachcombing
July 25, 2026 at 3:57 PM
By-The-Wind Sailor on Traigh Eais, one of many hundreds washing ashore along with thousands of Moon Jellyfish on Barra today in a fresh westerly breeze. #beachcombing
October 19, 2025 at 11:17 PM
A collection of recent jellyfish strandings along Cefn Sidan beach. Barrel, Moon, Blue and By-the-wind-sailor. The latter is admittedly a floating colony of Hydrozoans rather than a jellyfish, but what’s a few Hydrozoans between friends. #UKWildlife #MarineLife
July 6, 2026 at 1:36 PM
A collection of recent jellyfish strandings along Cefn Sidan beach. Barrel, Moon, Blue and By-the-wind-sailor. The latter is admittedly a floating colony of Hydrozoans rather than a jellyfish, but what’s a few Hydrozoans between friends. #UKWildlife #MarineLife
Seagull footprints and a by-the-wind sailor.
June 20, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Seagull footprints and a by-the-wind sailor.
Excitedly snapped this photo of the sand beneath my feet. That is an experience I - a greying and sun burnt marine biologist - share with literally thousands of people around the world! By-the-wind sailor are beautiful blue jelly like animals that drift by the wind and waves, and when...
October 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Excitedly snapped this photo of the sand beneath my feet. That is an experience I - a greying and sun burnt marine biologist - share with literally thousands of people around the world! By-the-wind sailor are beautiful blue jelly like animals that drift by the wind and waves, and when...
by the wind sailor!
May 6, 2025 at 10:24 PM
by the wind sailor!
Velella velella - By-the-wind Sailor - seen at Bodega Head in Bodega Bay, CA #hydrozoans
August 4, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Velella velella - By-the-wind Sailor - seen at Bodega Head in Bodega Bay, CA #hydrozoans
An ocean drifter …
A Velella velella,
or "by-the-wind-sailor”.
#TuesdayBlue
#StormHour #jefinuist #OuterHebrides #Scotland
A Velella velella,
or "by-the-wind-sailor”.
#TuesdayBlue
#StormHour #jefinuist #OuterHebrides #Scotland
July 15, 2025 at 6:38 PM
An ocean drifter …
A Velella velella,
or "by-the-wind-sailor”.
#TuesdayBlue
#StormHour #jefinuist #OuterHebrides #Scotland
A Velella velella,
or "by-the-wind-sailor”.
#TuesdayBlue
#StormHour #jefinuist #OuterHebrides #Scotland
Today I am working on a design for By-the-Wind Sailor, Arkie’s nephew and Greer’s loyal buddy! Sailor is a dramatic, outgoing and friendly football player with a deep passion for romance novels, films and tropes.
June 23, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Today I am working on a design for By-the-Wind Sailor, Arkie’s nephew and Greer’s loyal buddy! Sailor is a dramatic, outgoing and friendly football player with a deep passion for romance novels, films and tropes.
By-the-wind sailors are cataloged: what, when, where... all around the globe! Right now iNat has more than 18,000 sailor observations! This treasure trove of data allowed us to...
October 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
By-the-wind sailors are cataloged: what, when, where... all around the globe! Right now iNat has more than 18,000 sailor observations! This treasure trove of data allowed us to...
A small By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella) blown ashore by the recent summer winds. Usually open ocean drifters they occasionally get blown ashore in large numbers.
County Clare, Ireland.
Cormacscoast.com walking tours
County Clare, Ireland.
Cormacscoast.com walking tours
June 5, 2026 at 8:20 AM
A small By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella) blown ashore by the recent summer winds. Usually open ocean drifters they occasionally get blown ashore in large numbers.
County Clare, Ireland.
Cormacscoast.com walking tours
County Clare, Ireland.
Cormacscoast.com walking tours
By-the-wind sailor are a spiraling mystery: the sail can either point to the left or to the right and this has puzzled scientists for more than a century. What is known: lefties move to the left of the wind, righties move to the right. In the 1950s a Soviet scientist named A.I. Savilov predicted...
October 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
By-the-wind sailor are a spiraling mystery: the sail can either point to the left or to the right and this has puzzled scientists for more than a century. What is known: lefties move to the left of the wind, righties move to the right. In the 1950s a Soviet scientist named A.I. Savilov predicted...
By-the-wind Sailor (Velella velella) Surface dwellers on the open ocean, this individual has been pushed up onto our shores by recent Southerly winds.
County Clare, Ireland.
County Clare, Ireland.
June 2, 2025 at 3:38 PM
By-the-wind Sailor (Velella velella) Surface dwellers on the open ocean, this individual has been pushed up onto our shores by recent Southerly winds.
County Clare, Ireland.
County Clare, Ireland.
These beautiful little creatures washed up in the thousands on our San Diego beaches in April. Velella velella, like a jellyfish, a free-floating hydrozoan that floats along the surface of the ocean propelled by it’s built-in sail, nicknamed “by the wind sailor”. 🦑🌿
September 7, 2023 at 9:14 PM
These beautiful little creatures washed up in the thousands on our San Diego beaches in April. Velella velella, like a jellyfish, a free-floating hydrozoan that floats along the surface of the ocean propelled by it’s built-in sail, nicknamed “by the wind sailor”. 🦑🌿