UPDATE: ‘Humongous’ sighting at Lowman Beach

| West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

7:25 PM: The photo is from Caroline, who spotted that on Lowman Beach and wonders what it is: “It’s humongous! And so amazing with the colors and textures.” She and other beachgoers have been keeping it wet while the tide rolls back in, but they’re wondering what it is. We don’t recognize it; tried Google Search By Image, and while it suggests possibly a jellyfish relative, no definitive ID via photos. Do YOU know what it is?

9:22 PM: Consensus in comments seems to be that it’s an upside-down lion’s-mane jellyfish, so we’ve updated the headline.

JJ August 7, 2022 (7:29 pm)

A lion jellyfish?

lk August 7, 2022 (7:32 pm)

Lion’s mane jelly, just upside down.

WSB August 7, 2022 (7:34 pm)

I’ve never seen the striped … tentacles? … thanks.
- lamont August 7, 2022 (7:49 pm)
  
  Swimming muscle maybe?
  - Lynn Y August 8, 2022 (12:10 am)
    
    It’s like a thing from the Upside Down! (Been watching Stranger Things lol)
    - WS Res August 8, 2022 (8:56 am)
      
      Definitely a Demibat.

Caroline August 7, 2022 (7:50 pm)

Thanks for help identifying, folks! Many of us enjoying the beach this evening have been curious what it is. Very cool.

UglyMudder August 8, 2022 (8:35 am)

That is pretty cool, so were you able to keep it alive until the tide came back in and got it?

Andy August 7, 2022 (8:03 pm)

It is a jelly fish. They are beautiful especially if they are floating in the water. They have long
tentacles that are poisonous. You should not touch them. It is great that someone is continuing to keep it moist and alive. I hope it works.

Lynn Y August 8, 2022 (12:09 am)

Jellyfish are actually venomous, not poisonous. 😊 Venom is to inject, poison is to ingest (though I’m sure it would be painful ingest their tentacles too) There are pressure sensitive cells called nematocyst that are like barbs that inject venom into their victim.Absolutely right to never touch them, even ones that are dead and washed up on the beach could still shoot barbs and release venom into your skin. I am a marine biology grad and wanted to share this interesting snippet I remember from the course “Venomous Marine Animals of the World” Enjoy (safely) !
- Amber August 9, 2022 (12:43 am)
  
  Exceptional information! Thank you for taking the time to post.

Gatewood Resident August 7, 2022 (8:22 pm)

Keeping a beached jellyfish wet—presumably to keep it alive—is peak West Seattle lol thank you WSB

waikikigirl August 7, 2022 (8:23 pm)

Aye carumba besides sharks this is another reason to STAY OUT OF THE WATER!!!https://www.americanoceans.org/species/lions-mane-jellyfish/

Gill & Alex August 8, 2022 (10:57 am)

Thanks, Caroline for the photo and waikikigirl for the link to the “HUGE” amounts of info. When growing up we lived in south Puget Sound and saw these beautiful creatures. I was told “do not swim near them or they’ll get you”. The ones I saw were 2′-3′ across with long tentacles. Couldn’t tell how long as even in clear water could not see the bottom end. And the sight at night when rowing around was amazing.

Stewart August 7, 2022 (8:25 pm)

I also think it’s an upside down lions mane jellyfish.

KrazzieK August 7, 2022 (8:51 pm)

That is H-U-G-E 😳!! The colors are incredible… thanks for keeping it wet ‘til the tide comes back in

YES2WS August 7, 2022 (10:54 pm)

This looks like what I kayaked past a week and a half ago. It was beautiful.

Ada August 8, 2022 (12:09 am)

Very cool!
slc August 8, 2022 (10:21 am)

Wow! Amazing photo. Thanks for sharing.
Eula August 10, 2022 (3:14 pm)

So unique, really cool. Thank you for sharing.

YES2WS August 7, 2022 (11:06 pm)

Was just reading the link provided in one of the comments. The end of their days are spent in shallow bays. The one I saw was just off Lowman Beach. A shallow bay, perhaps, compared to the ocean. I do hope those keeping it wet until the tide picked it up again were successful

Seaa August 7, 2022 (11:24 pm)

Saw one of these near the Alki Pier during one of the last super low tides!

waikikigirl August 8, 2022 (7:52 am)

WSB and to the finders, if you wouldn’t mind letting us know if your assistance of keeping it alive was successful and the Lions-mane is back out in the water?Thank you

cjboffoli August 8, 2022 (8:04 am)

I’m really surprised no one launched a Go Fund Me to raise $20,000 for this jellyfish to get some expensive surgery, or perhaps some relocation benefits. You’re slacking West Seattle!

Neighbor August 8, 2022 (10:35 am)

Imagine drowning and having some mysterious sea creature come up and give you gulps of air. That’s what these kind neighbors were doing for this jellyfish.

cjboffoli August 8, 2022 (11:59 am)

@Neighbor: Well, we’re all doing our part to contribute to the 300 million gallons of sewage and untreated waste water that our fair city spills into that sea creature’s habitat annually (not to mention driving around on tires that include chemical additives suspected to be the main cause of the severe decline of native salmon). But yes, I agree that the folks who looked looked after that one jellyfish were exceptionally kind.
- No August 9, 2022 (7:35 pm)
  
  No
Gatewood Resident August 8, 2022 (7:23 pm)

Imagine spending all that time and effort to save a harbinger of a collapsing fishery and general marine decline

Molly August 8, 2022 (1:41 pm)

Fun fact, lions mane jellyfish can grow larger than a blue whale, making them the longest thing in the sea. My son tells me this fact on a *daily* basis.

Zeke August 8, 2022 (6:02 pm)

You can tell what it is, by the way it is.. How neat is that?!

Delresha_Monai August 8, 2022 (9:50 pm)

Definitely a lion jelly fish, I just googled it after reading the comments and it looks identical when washed up on shore.

Fei August 8, 2022 (11:13 pm)

I took this photo this morning at 9:14 at Alki beach during low tide. I believe this could be the same type of jellyfish, Lion’s Mane Jellyfish by Google lens