Beachgoers heading to the Crystal Coast will notice the shoreline looking a bit bluer than usual.
Vibrant, coin-sized creatures known as Blue Buttons are washing ashore by the thousands along Carteret County beaches, from Atlantic Beach to Emerald Isle. While they look like bright blue jellyfish, these organisms are actually chondrophores. They are free-floating colonies of tiny marine life that normally drift far out in the warm waters of the Gulf Stream.
Because the Gulf Stream curves closely past Cape Lookout, a perfect storm of peak late-summer ocean temperatures, shifting currents, and days of sustained onshore winds have acted like a conveyor belt, pushing these tropical drifters straight onto local, south-facing beaches.
Marine experts say that while Blue Buttons are beautiful, people should look but do not touch. They carry stinging tentacles that can cause mild skin irritation and rashes. Visitors are also warned to keep pets away, as even dead specimens drying on the sand can still sting.
If a person or a pet accidentally makes contact, local officials recommend rinsing the area immediately with sea water or vinegar.
