A California beach is arousing attention for attracting thousands of phallic-looking sea worms to its shores.
The fat innkeeper worms, commonly known as “penis fish,” were spotted covering Drakes Beach in Marin County on December 6 after a major storm, according to Bay Nature magazine.
The worms survive in the muddy sand of low-zone mudflats by building U-shaped burrows, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
David Ford, who saw the hordes of them during a walk along the beach, admits he’s never seen such a bizarre creature ― and so many, to boot.
“I had no idea what they might be ... it went on for two miles,” Ford told Vice Motherboard. “I walked for another half hour and they were scattered everywhere. There were seagulls lined up the beach the whole way having eaten so much they could barely stand. A quarter of them looked like they were still alive. The rest were dead, they had a dead sea-creature smell.”
So far, the penis fish are going to waste on the beach — certainly a missed opportunity for those fond of the gourmet cuisine.