Aimee Walker
Locals of Caernarfon in North Wales have been left fascinated by “alien-like” sea creatures which have washed up on a beach and initially, one dad thought he had stumbled upon a large piece of driftwood.
Martyn Green and his family, from New Brighton, decided to take a trip to Caernarfon in North Wales when they came across what they assumed to be a large piece of driftwood.
Yet the dad was left shocked when he took a closer look and realised that attached to this log was thousands of tentacled creatures in shells. Astonished, he said he had never seen anything quite like it before.
He told Liverpool Echo: “My wife Gemma, she found it. We were walking on the beach and she called us and said ‘come back, look at this’.
“We went and had a look and it looked like something not of this world.
“It was quite an attraction for the locals.”
The 47-year-old said that his son Daniel was also curious about the “alien-like” sea creatures and he decided to look on Google so they could get some answers.
However, the pair were left astonished when they found out they had encountered the rare creature called Goosenecked Barnacles. This unusual specimen is considered a delicacy, particularly in Spain and Portugal where they are known as percebes.
He said: “It turns out they are one of the most expensive sea creatures you can buy.
“From looking on Google I think it’s about £25 each they go for, and on the log there were probably about 2,000 of them.”
Martyn, who runs a marketing agency, said he doesn’t want to reveal the exact location of the Goosenecked Barnacles as he doesn’t want people flocking to the site and destroying it.
Martyn’s concern is understandable, there have been reports of fishermen in Galicia, northeastern Spain, that are risking their lives in order to harvest the creatures and often, illegal and violent groups get involved.
In peak times, the prices can reach 360 euros a kilo and despite their hideous appearance, the creature is deemed an exciting find.
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