Source: Interesting Engineering

Imagine diving under the sea and coming face to face with a giant, cream-colored, floating jellyfish spanning the length of your entire body. Most of us would recoil in terror and swim swiftly away. 

Not diver and wildlife biologist Lizzie Daly.

Daly was in awe of the incredible creature which turned out to be a barrel jellyfish. 

Swimming off the south-western coast of England

Spotted near Falmouth on Saturday, off of the coast of Cornwall in South-West England, this type of jellyfish species can grow up to one meter (3.2 feet) and weigh up to 25 kg (55 lbs.).

Barrel jellyfish, the largest species of jellyfish in English waters, are not new to the area, but one of this size was a novelty, and have rarely been caught on camera. 

Daly described the experience as “breathtaking,” that it was “the best thing I’ve ever done,” and “What an unforgettable experience, I know barrel jellyfish get really big in size but I have never seen anything like it before!”

Daly was diving in the waters as part of the Wild Ocean Week campaign, which helps funds for the Marine Conservation Society. 

These barrel jellyfish have been washing up on Cornish shores recently, but none quite this large.