Plymouth dive - Lobsters Molting and Jelly fish?

[reefseal]

Dove off a friends private beach house in Plymouth (North of Ellisville off Harlow's landing)
I've done a lot of diving there and came across some across for the first time some large Jelly fish. (baseball size and long tentacles) there were a lot.
Not comb jelly that normally see. These guys were all over.

Also.. The lobsters I saw, were all molted. This is not normal. They usually molt later in season. Can anyone explain? I saw at least 5 different ones that had molted. (soft) One was recently molt as it was very soft.

 

[porgyhunter]

Water temps are warm this year....everything has been early....Bass showing up etc.

 

[mfalco]

What did the jellies look like? Was there brownish coloring in the middle? Any purple?

 

[reefseal]

yes. I would say pink outside?

 

[mfalco]

Was this it?

Lion Mane JellyFish - YouTube
Lion's Mane Jellyfish - Cnidaria Reference Library - redOrbit

 

[reefseal]

BINGO!! That is it. is it common for that area??

 

[mfalco]

About 25 years (+-5) ago, the beach near my grandmothers house in North Falmouth was over run with them. I did a little research on them at the time. From what I remember we are on the southern edge of their habitat. I think the ones we see around here drift across the Atlantic toward England. If I remember properly, the get to be about 10' across with tentacles over 50'. the biggest I've seen around here was probably 8-10" across the top. Usually the ones I see are in the 2-6" range.

The small ones we see around here give a strong sting. I see them here and there while diving, especially at night for some reason. We saw a couple a few years ago when you dove in Woods Hole with me.