oarfish

The first sighting of the oarfish was an 18-footer that surprised a diver off Catalina Island.

The oarfish is the largest living bony fish, reaching up to 35 feet in length.

In reality, since strandings of oarfish are rare, it will be difficult—or impossible—to determine the cause.

According to Japanese mythology, the oarfish is a messenger from the dragon god of the sea.

Beaching of the oarfish is a very rare occurrence—the last time it happened was 2010—so two in one week is certainly an oddity.