Have you ever seen velella velella? They’re a relative of jellyfish that is usually found in the open ocean but over the last couple of months shifting winds have blown them ashore on the West Coast. It happens from time to time and the result is a pavement of little dying animals at the ocean’s shore. I found these in California.
They’re also called “by-the-wind sailors” because they have little sails that propel them across the ocean surface. Each one is a couple of inches across and somewhat oval in shape.