Earlier this month Hallandale Beach, here in South Florida was invaded by thousands of unwelcomed tourists. The “tourists” in this case refers to a Purple, Glassy Jellyfish knows as the Valella-Velella.
With no way to predict that they were arriving, beachgoers were greeted with a shoreline filled with jellyfish. Under normal conditions, our slippery friends sail away from the shore eliminating the chance of being stranded on the beach.
On that fateful morning, a mixture of strong Florida winds and even stronger ocean current grabbed hold of the jellyfish’s fins and carried them directly to the shore.
Referred to as “purple sailors“, the Valella are pretty harmless as far as jellyfish go with small tentacles for grabbing food. People should take caution not to come in contact as they can be filled with toxins from travelling besides man-of-war JellyFish.
The Hallandale Lifeguards sprung into action by warning beachgoers and flying a Purple Flag to warn of Dangerous Marine Life. Luckily this only happens about every three years, however it is always good to be prepared for an invasion whenever it will happen.
With hundreds of homes along the waterways and beachfront in South Florida, the JellyFish did not limit their visit to the beach. The mess affected Docks, Piers, Walkways, and Patios after the invasion.
The team at All About Pressure Cleaning has been working with our waterfront neighbors for decades. Our Industrial Equipment and Commercial Cleaning products are ready tackle any stain-leaving invasion, slimy or not.