The ocean is a powerful force, and there are a lot of things that we still don't know about it. What's more, lots of things happen in it that can't always be explained. Of course, we don't always know about what's happening way down under the waves.
Except, sometimes, the evidence winds up on shore. People have found all kinds of interesting, amazing, and downright creepy things on ocean shores all around the world. The question is, why do these things happen, and where the heck does the stuff come from?
Sometimes there are answers, and other times, the details remain a mystery. Either way, it's fascinating to look at, so we have here 20 disturbing photos of all manner of things that washed ashore around the world.
20 (Hopefully Not) A Blast From The Past: WWII Bombs
Don’t underestimate the power of the supermoon and the tides it brings along. In 2011, almost 100 World War II bombs washed ashore on Calshot beach in Hampshire, UK. Royal Navy took matters in their own hands and detonated them so they no longer posed a threat.
19 These Shoes Are Made For Freaking Us Out
In January 2019, the Dutch island Terschelling woke up to their shores being covered in shoes, furniture, and even car parts. The incident amused them at first, but when they realized the span of pollution, they understood the gravity of the situation, quickly organized themselves and started cleaning.
18 The Montauk Monster
A pitbull, a raccoon, a turtle? This mutant animal washed up in Long Island and was found scorching in the sun. The image instantly went viral. What is even more disturbing than its sudden appearance is its mysterious disappearance. A very similar carcass appeared this year again.
17 Horrendous Smell With A Happy Ending
Whale vomit, also known by its more glamourous sounding synonym ambergris, sometimes, is an unsettling, yet a very exciting beach find. If you find it and somehow power through its horrific smell, you might sell it for big bucks, as the material is used to make perfumes.
16 A Very Old Message In A Bottle
The oldest message in a bottle was floating around for 151 years before being picked up in Japan. Written by Chunosuke Matsuyama, it describes the sad fate of 44 seamen looking for a treasure, castaway on an island where they slowly died of starvation and dehydration.
15 A Ginormous Rubber Fender
It doesn't look as dreadful when next to a ship, but when compared to a car on a beach, a ship's fender looks quite intimidating. No one has reported it missing. Once people got used to the sight and heard about it, it actually became a local tourist attraction.
14 Crabs
In Hawaii, larvae of the 7-11 crabs is not an uncommon sight, but when there are so many in an environment that is deadly for them, it leaves us feeling uneasy. Apparently, the little crabs couldn't dive due to air bubbles in their shells, leaving them stranded on the beach.
13 Human Feet In Trainers
Since 2007, human feet, clad in trainers have been showing up on the coastline of British Columbia. So far, there have been 14 incidents and none of the feet were identified. No one has any idea how they got there and where the rest of the bodies are.
12 An All-Seeing Eye
If the eyeball alone is so big, imagine the size of the sea creature this eye belongs to. Scientists concluded it does not belong to a squid as there are bones around the eye. It probably belongs to a majestic deep-water fish of some sort.
11 Love Letters That Got Returned To The Sender
This story is storm Sandy's silver lining. 57 love letters, written between 1942 and 1947 reappeared out of the big blue sea. The finder managed to identify the lovebirds and return the letters where they belonged. At least this time, love conquered time and even the vast ocean.
10 A Mysterious Naval Object On Hawaii
When this object appeared on a Hawaiian beach, someone took it to Reddit, where people took educated guesses at what it is as the press did not give people answers. It may be a submarine communication buoy and no one is sure how old it is.
9 Twice In The Same Place: That's Bananas!
The abovementioned Dutch Island of Terschelling is a popular spot for things lost at sea. In 2007, residents found hundreds of bananas washed onshore. Not sure if they were edible or not, they suggested donating them to the zoo. Why do things always end up there?
8 The Lego Man Ego Leonard
"No real than you are," says the 2.5 m tall lego man that has surfaced on various beaches around the world. Made by an unknown Dutch artist who goes by a nickname Ego Leonard, it has appeared in the Netherlands, UK, US, and Japan.
7 Not Having A Whale Of A Time
Every year, there are more and more news stories about whales being washed ashore worldwide. The occurrence is to some extent natural but in some cases, it is the consequence of irresponsible human behavior. Sometimes, whales are found with lethal amounts of plastic in their stomachs.
6 A Siberian Snowball Fight
It is a combination of ice, wind the shoreline and some magic: the result is a formation of icy snowballs in the Gulf of Ob. Deep in Siberia, in the arctic circle, snowballs of different sizes formed along a 17 kilometer stretch of a beach.
5 The Weirdest And The Most Elusive Fish
It is huge, it has no teeth and no tail - it is the weirdest fish you have ever seen. This elusive freak of nature has never been spotted in the northern hemisphere and its appearance in California got both the scientists and regular beachgoers all shook up.
4 What Tore Off A Shark's Head!?
The sight of a severed shark's head is mortifying enough as it is, but it is only when we begin to wonder what bit its head off that we start feeling the chills. The head was found in Australia and it weighed 100 kg. Nature is scarily fascinating!
3 An Army Of Rubber Ducks
29,000 rubber ducks were set free somewhere in the Pacific in 1992 after a cargo ship leaving from China spilled. Ever since they have been going with the flow around the ocean, appearing in the UK, Australia, South America - basically worldwide. Scientists use them to follow ocean currents.
2 A Ghost Ship
This ship found a harbor on a Liberian coast, with no lifeboats or survivors on it. What is its story? No one is sure, but it could be it was looted by pirates or the owner could not pay up his workers and therefore abandoned it.
1 The Lethal Jellyfish
Many people find this harmless-looking animal beautiful without knowing it can kill them. Portuguese-man-o'-war is an enchanting is a sea creature resembling a jellyfish that you should avoid at all costs. Sometimes, they can be found on beaches, but generally, they float around in oceans.