A pair of divers off the southwestern tip of England crossed paths with a massive barrel jellyfish.
The divers — biologist Lizzie Daly and underwater cinematographer Dan Abbott — shared their encounter in a Facebook video.
The barrel jellyfish species is characterized by eight puffy arms capped by stinging tentacles and a large, globular head that lends the creature its unglamorous nickname.
Daly told the Guardian, “I’ve never seen one that big.We had seen a few smaller jellyfish at a beautiful reef nearby, and then out of the murk came this huge, beautiful jelly fish. You just take a double look and ask yourself if it’s actually a metre and a half long (5-feet).”
She said swimming alongside the “gentle giant” was “such a serene, grounding experience”.
Marine biologist say the barrel jellyfish has a mild sting that poses no threat to humans.