Mike went for his after-lunch constitutional on which, among the tide-wrack at the Bay of Hinderayre, he found two sails from By-The-Wind-Sailors and brought them home.
One of them is a bit manky, but the other one is perfect. I was delighted with it and took pictures of it ‘sailing’ across my hand.
It’s so delicate, but must be strong enough to take on all that life at sea throws at it.
We were wondering what it’s made of, and chitin came to mind, with memories of my Biology teacher saying that word with a strong emphasis on the ‘ch’ ….’Chitin girls, chitin’. And it turned out to be so
“……the transparent sail of the by-the-wind sailor (Velella velella) is made of chitin, the same tough, rigid material found in insect exoskeletons and crab.”
I posted some of my pics on the Orkney Wildlife FB page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/133013273445588/?locale=en_GB
…..where a few folk hadn’t come across the By-The-Wind-Sailor, so I thought I’d put this together as another example of the wonders to be found on an Orkney beach
We thought it was a type of jellyfish, akin to a Portuguese-Man-O-War, which also turned out to be so
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velella
Whatever it is officially, it’s a beauty. A lovely, shimmering thing.
I’m hoping someone might see the pics. and be inspired to make one out of glass.
Picture it…with light flowing onto and through it
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