There was an ocean burp, or upwelling, near Ave. U on Tuesday, Tiffany Boothe of the Seaside Aquarium reported.

“Coming across one of these is a beachcomber’s dream,” according to Boothe.

Results of the upwelling are described as small debris fields usually composed of small bark chips, shells, large tubeworm casings, hermit crabs, algae, kelp and sometimes even skate egg casings, and usually occur because of a local upwelling. “At the Seaside Aquarium, we fondly refer to these events as ‘ocean burps.’”

An upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of denser, cooler and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water, Boothe said.

This juggling of water from the bottom of the ocean to the surface often lifts debris sitting on the sea floor into the water column. As the tide comes in, the debris is cast onto shore.