On October 28, a strange creature drifted into the famous Horseshoe Bay, causing panic among locals and tourists.
A local resident near Horseshoe Beach (Australia) accidentally discovered the “strange creature” washed ashore. (Photo: Vicki Evans).
While taking a morning stroll along Horseshoe Beach (Port Elliot, southern Australia), local resident Vicki Evans stumbled upon some “odd creatures” washed up on the sand, according to news.com.au.
“In over 26 years of walking around Horseshoe Bay, I’ve never seen anything like this,” Vicki wrote in a Facebook post. Accompanying her post was an image of hundreds of these creatures, with elongated, translucent bodies clinging to a long structure over 10 meters in length, lying along the sand.
An image of the “odd creature” washed ashore at Horseshoe Beach in Port Elliot taken by a local resident on October 28. (Photo: Vicki Evans).
Some international netizens recognized this creature and identified it as the gooseneck barnacle—a rare delicacy highly valued and sought after in European countries.
According to the Australian Museum, gooseneck barnacles have rubbery elongated bodies and are usually found in large clusters attached to floating objects, on piers, or washed ashore.
“The two main types of barnacles found in Australian waters are gooseneck barnacles and acorn barnacles. Both have a hard outer shell, which may lead some to believe that barnacles are more closely related to snails than to crabs and lobsters. However, inside, barnacles are actually crustaceans with jointed legs that they use to catch small food particles,” the Australian Museum’s website states.
Dr. Zoe Doubleday, a marine ecologist at the University of South Australia, mentioned that she had never seen such a large cluster of barnacles. She told The Advertiser: “Perhaps it was just an old pole from a pier or some maritime infrastructure that had been underwater for a long time, allowing it to develop into such a dense cluster of barnacles.“
Many others in South Australia also shared images of gooseneck barnacles washed into local waters. (Photo: Garry Walker).
Meanwhile, several locals reported discovering these gooseneck barnacles along the coastline, including Middleton Beach and Goolwa Beach nearby.
In fact, gooseneck barnacles are a type of mollusk belonging to the crustacean group, typically living attached to rocks and structures near the sea. Their shells resemble a long neck that flares at the end, resembling a goose’s neck.
Some of the longer gooseneck barnacles resemble human fingers and nails. Therefore, in Portugal, this seafood is referred to as “devil’s fingers.”
Gooseneck barnacles only live in natural underwater environments and cannot be farmed. They are abundant in the waters of Spain, Portugal, and Canada, but the most delicious ones primarily inhabit the extreme west of Portugal.
Gooseneck barnacles, also known as “devil’s fingers,” are among the rarest delicacies in the world and are highly sought after by the European elite. (Photo: @pacificwildpick_).
Despite their somewhat frightening appearance, these are considered some of the most delicious seafood in the world, highly sought after in European countries. Europeans cherish this food and regard it as a premium seafood due to its high nutritional value.
Gooseneck barnacles contain many trace elements and have a sweet, delicious flavor. Many diners who have tried them describe gooseneck barnacles as tastier than lobsters or king crabs.
Notably, gooseneck barnacles are included in the lists of gourmet dishes in many fine dining restaurants worldwide. In European restaurants, a plate of gooseneck barnacles can cost around 100 euros (approximately over 2.5 million VND).
However, due to their natural occurrence, harvesting gooseneck barnacles is relatively challenging and dangerous. In Galicia, Spain, authorities only permit certified divers to harvest “devil’s fingers” with a daily limit of 6 kg. Violators will have their licenses revoked and be banned from harvesting. This is also the reason why gooseneck barnacles are classified as one of the rarest and most expensive seafood in the world.
