The Island beaches have had a remarkable influx of ?sailors? this week, but not the ones you would usually expect, reports the Isle of Wight Council. Fort Victoria, Gurnard and Compton beaches have had hundreds of ?by-the-wind-sailors? washed up on the strand line.

The ?sailors? have a bluish disc about 8cm across with a sail-like structure projecting above the surface, which catches the wind, hence the name, and allows movement propelled by wind and tide. By-the-wind-sailors resemble jelly fish, but they are actually a colony of animals; one forms a float and others are specialised for feeding, reproduction or defence. They do have stinging tentacles hanging below the disc, which are used to stun their prey (of smaller marine plankton including young fish), but a sting is unlikely to be felt by people coming into contact with them.

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These creatures are generally found in shoals in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic at the water surface, but are an occasional visitor to Island shores - large numbers were recorded in June 2002 along the beaches of the south-west coast, east from Compton Bay east to Atherfield. At the same time similar strandings were reported along most of the south coast as far as Bognor Regis and extended north into the Irish Sea from Cork to the Isles of Cumbrae. In 2003 there were similar sightings on the Island early in the year.

The Isle of Wight Council?s Assistant Ecologist, Anne Marston, said: ?The occurrence of the by-the-wind-sailor on our shores is a result of ocean currents and strong winds, as well as there being favourable conditions for breeding. Warmer sea temperatures may allow them to extend the area in which they live and then prevailing winds and tides move them on further. There have been reports of large strandings from Carmarthenshire on Monday of this week, and they have been seen at Kimmeridge Bay in Dorset in large numbers today.?

?Another unusual sighting this week at Fort Victoria Country Park was Goose Barnacles -they look like white mussels on stalks, and are attached to driftwood. They are also carried around by ocean currents. They are related to the barnacles found attached to rocky shores, jetty piles and boats.? says Anne.