There were no people around except for the photographer, who had already been swimming. If the shark had been chasing breakfast, this man was lucky. This incident didn’t take place at Dollymount but on Cat Island in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in the Caribbean.
Cat Island, named after a pirate, has a population of approximately 1,500. Its most famous local is the late actor Sidney Poitier. The island exports a unique product called cascarilla bark, which is an important ingredient in the aperitif Campari. The Irish photographer managed to lift the ray and return it to the tide. He described it as heavy. Underwater photography is his specialization, and he was fortunate that morning.
Unpleasant sea creatures, such as jellyfish, are making headlines as they invade our coastlines. However, there are two species that are not actually jellyfish. The By-the-wind sailor (Velella velella) and the Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis)) are free-floating colonial hydrozoans known as siphonophores. They sail the oceans with gas-filled balloons and have specific tasks assigned to their “crews” in terms of reproduction, digestion, and defense, similar to a colony of sea-faring hornets.
The Portuguese man o’ war has long, dangling blue tentacles with powerful nematocysts that are extremely dangerous to humans. On the other hand, the By-the-wind sailor is a flat, bluish oval shape with an erect triangular sail and tentacles underneath for stinging and trapping prey, resembling a toy yacht.
These creatures travel through the North Atlantic during this time of year and can drift as far as the Faroes. Some may be found stranded on shorelines, but it is important not to step on them as their poison can still be active.
“Ordinary” jellyfish are simple marine creatures that float along in the plankton. While they can deliver painful stings, they are not usually fatal. They are not well-liked, except by swordfish, tuna, leatherback turtles, and some Far Eastern people who use them for culinary purposes.
The most commonly encountered harmful jellyfish in European waters is the mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca). It has a mushroom-shaped bell with a purple and red-brown speckled appearance, measuring about two inches in diameter. However, the lion’s mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), which can grow up to 40 inches in diameter, is the one that receives the most attention due to its large size and strong sting. There is also a smaller blue variety called Cyanea lamarckii. The lion’s mane can be mistaken for the harmless compass jellyfish.
Another jellyfish commonly washed up on shorelines is the moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita), which has a bluish tint and four pale violet horseshoes on the top of its transparent bell.
It’s not all bad news when it comes to jellyfish. Scientists suggest that the fried egg jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata) could potentially be a source of raw material for cancer treatment. Additionally, research is being conducted on an “immortal” jellyfish species called the Turritopsis dohrnii, which is actually a hydrozoan. It has the ability to transform itself back into a polyp and start its life cycle anew.
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