Portuguese Man O’ War Are Being Spotted On New England Beaches
They may look interesting and appear small, but they are mighty and pack a painful sting. Over the past week, multiple Portuguese man o’ war sightings have occurred along certain New England beaches.
Specifically, these sea creatures have been spotted frequently in Rhode Island. Boston.com has reported that Portugese man o’ war have been spotted so far at the following beaches;
- East Matunuck State Beach in South Kingstown
- Scarborough State Beach in Narragansett
- Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett
- Charlestown Breachway in Charlestown
- East Beach in Charlestown
Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management posted the following update to their Twitter, “ATTN beachgoers, please be advised: multiple Portuguese Man-of-War (Physalia physalis) were spotted (at the aforementioned beaches). DEM is flying purple flags to warn of dangerous marine life.”
What is a Portuguese Man o’ War?
A sea creature with a funny name like that perhaps needs some explanation. Though they resemble a jellyfish there are some key differences. One of them is the fact that a man o’ war has tentacles that can grow to be 30 feet. Furthermore, a Portuguese man o’ war is a siphonophore. This means it consists of a colony of organisms which is the only way it can move through the water.
“The man o’ war is recognized by its balloon-like float, which may be blue, violet, or pink and rises up to six inches above the waterline,” the National Ocean Service explains.
These creatures can sting, but rarely can they be deadly. In fact, they mainly result in welts on the skin where you were stung. However, their tentacles can be deadly for small fish or other crustaceans along their path in the sea.
Rhode Island officials stated, “The Portuguese man o’ war spotted this week (along the beaches mentioned) likely drifted up to New England on the Gulf Stream from warmer waters.
Massachusetts Lighthouse Named One Of The Most Beautiful In The World
What do Porto, Portugal, Crete, Greece, and Scituate, Massachusetts have in common? They all have historic lighthouses. In fact, in Trips To Discover’s recent guide, they named Old Scituate Light, along Massachusetts’ south shore one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world.
The 1800’s
This landmark dates back to the year 1810. “Congress voted to build a lighthouse at the harbor, and the light made of split granite blocks with a house attached and was activated the following year (1811),” Trips To Discover explains. It was the 11th lighthouse in the United States upon completion. It cost $4,000. Shortly after, Captain Simeon Bates, his wife and nine children lived at the house. Bates was the first keep of this lighthouse.
“Because mariners complained that the light could not be seen from far enough away to make proper heading adjustments, the U.S. Government added fifteen feet in height to the tower in 1827, mortaring red brick on top of the granite blocks,” Scituate’s Historical Society explains.
The 1900’s
The town of Scituate acquired the lighthouse from the government in 1916 for $1,000. Fourteen years later, a new lantern room was built at the top. 1994 marked one of the most memorable events in Old Scituate Light’s history as it was relit, making it visible from the sea for the first time in 134 years. Three years prior, it had been relit to be seen on land only.
Present Day
Old Scituate Light is a very popular south shore attraction. Every day people can be seen taking pictures of this lighthouse. Select dates are released each year that detail when it will be open to the public. Walkways along the water’s edge surround it for guests to explore the area. One of this destination’s most notable elements is the attached cottage. That remains a private residence that is the lightkeeper’s cottage.
While many tourists travel to the south shore of Massachusetts for the beaches and boating, stopping by one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world is also a site worth seeing.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
