Planning a trip to see the Oregon 'blue tide'? What to know before you go

If you’re planning a trip to the Oregon Coast to photograph the “blue tide”––thousands of jellyfish-like creatures known as “by-the-wind sailors” that recently washed ashore––you should know a few things first.
 
Those stunning images from years past with mounds of blue in the foreground and the Peter Iredale shipwreck in the background show a dense grouping of full-grown “sailors.” The creatures that are currently washing ashore are much smaller, mostly larvae to small juvenile, said Peter Pearsall, Public Relations Coordinator at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
 
“It is interesting how it varies from beach to beach,” Pearsall said. “Every day is different.”
 
These blue and purple visitors, formally known as Velella velella, range in size from a few millimeters across to seven centimeters. They spend their entire lives in the open water, being forced ashore only by strong winds.
 
“They’re fascinating creatures,” Pearsall said.
 
They will be washing ashore for about a month, he said.