Beach day on July 4 & Man O War

On the beach at Hatteras Island July 4, 2005, we saw this Portugese Man O War washed up in the surf. They used to be fairly common on the Outer Banks beaches, but usually in cooler weather. It was unusual to see one this early in the season. Beware the tenacles of this creature if you see one floating in the water or on the beach. They do pack a whopple of a sting!