Families living near a popular British beach say they will “never swim again” after a tourist discovered something large in the sand.
Mega-sized jellyfish and giant spider crabs have been spotted, giving Brits pause for thought before venturing into the waters of Barmouth, North Wales.
Holidaymakers who spotted these enormous sea creatures shared photos on social media, sparking both fascination and revulsion.
The creatures prompted some alarmed beachgoers to liken the situation to an “alien invasion” and “nightmares.”
Adding to the shock factor was tourist Amy Carter posting photos of her partner Scott Southey on a local Facebook group, reports the mirror.
The colossal jellyfish is one of several that have recently appeared along this coast. One person commented in amazement: “My god!! Imagine swimming next to someone that size. I would go crazy! They are huge.”
“The last time I went into the sea,” declared another observer, while someone else jokingly exaggerated, “That crab could wipe out a city.”
Another added: “I've seen a lot on the beaches. It's amazing what nature will show us.”
Although the sight itself may look terrifying, the jellyfish depicted, a so-called tongue jelly, generally cannot cause damage with its stings.
As for the crab that appeared covered in mussels, a marine life expert assured that it is a “normal sight” on British beaches this season, despite its otherworldly appearance.
Amy told the Daily Star: “We have a short holiday this week and were just walking along Tal-y-bont beach… we always see little crabs and jellyfish around the rocks and on the beach but we were shocked when we see one of this size.
“I've been coming to Barmouth and Tal-y-bont for almost fifty years and it's the biggest I've ever seen so I had to keep my hand close to it for scale. I love actually seeing the real giants of the depth.”
Ian Wilkins, who discovered another colossal jellyfish on nearby Dyffryn beach, shared his surprise with the Star: “I was shocked when I saw this jellyfish and how big it was. Fascinating creatures.”
Frankie Hobro, director of Anglesey Sea Zoo, provided some insight: “These are both common British species. The crab is a spiny spider crab that can reach a diameter of 30cm (closely related to the King Crab) and they are common everywhere .our coasts. We have numerous spider crabs in our aquarium exhibits, they live for many years.”
She added: “It appears that this individual is dead and that mussels and other marine life have taken advantage of the carcass as an anchor point – but it is equally likely that these animals lived happily on the crab's shell while it was alive, as this is common.”
“Like all crustaceans, spider crabs must molt their outer shells to grow, so it is common to find intact crab shells along our coastline and these can be mistaken for dead crabs. In fact, often in early summer when mass spawning and When molting periods occur with thousands of spider crabs close to shore, we get beaches full of crab shells, which at first glance may look like a mass die-off, but is in fact a positive sign of the crabs' growth and reproduction.”
Frankie revealed to North Wales Live: “The jellyfish shown is a barrel jellyfish, another common British species often found around our coasts around spring and early summer – it does not tolerate warmer temperatures so is less common in summer and early autumn, when the seas are at their warmest.”
“This is one of our most common jellyfish species and although they look formidable – and can grow to the size of a beer keg, hence the name – their sting is actually harmless to humans.”
“They are the favorite food of leatherback turtles, our only native turtle species that is rarely sighted as it is usually found offshore, but they are present for more than half the year, mainly to take advantage of the large numbers of large jellyfish such as these that can be found in the sea around Great Britain.”