PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – If you plan on hitting the beach anytime soon, you might be met by a bad smell and sand covered in brown seaweed.
What Florida beaches have stinky seaweed?
Stringy, smelly algae dominates coastline from Cocoa Beach to Sebastian and beyond. This summer, some say things look a bit — and smell a bit — worse than usual. That’s because the shoreline seems mostly awash in weeds, from Cocoa Beach to Sebastian Inlet and beyond.
Why do Florida beaches stink?
Sargassum is a type of brown seaweed that is washing up on beaches in Florida. As it rots, it gives off a substance called hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide has a very unpleasant odor, like rotten eggs.
Is there a seaweed problem in Florida?
This summer’s Sargassum already has set a record. Combined, the total amount of the weed increased from 18.8 million tons in May 2022 to 24.2 million tons in June 2022, setting a new historical record, according to the University of South Florida scientists July 2 bulletin on the algae.
Is Miami beach full of seaweed?
Excessive amounts of sargassum in populated areas are causing concern worldwide. Maintaining our beautiful beaches remains a priority for Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. Clean-up crews operate on a daily basis to remove the buildup of seaweed on the water line.
Why do the beaches in Key West stink?
That ubiquitous smell is decaying sargassum, islands of floating, brown sea algae that is piling up along the beaches of Key West, the Florida peninsula, Mexico and other Caribbean islands. Happens every summer when the winds and currents come from the south.
Does Clearwater Beach have seaweed?
Tourists looking for a clean unpolluted holiday destination often rush to the iconic Clearwater Beach. The beachline is covered in thin, fluffy white sand. The ocean waters are clear, free from seaweed and rock pebbles.
Can you swim in sargassum?
Certain animals, especially dogs, are also sensitive to the inhalation of hydrogen sulfide. He further cautions to avoid swimming in Sargassum infested waters as it can lead to skin irritation.
What is the smell in Siesta Key?
Visitors often worry that there is sewer leak, or some other contaminate in the water. Bad smells in the Florida Keys are usually from rotting sargassum seaweed and other organic matter on beaches, in the ocean and on the seafloor.
Does Fort Lauderdale beach have a lot of seaweed?
The City is in fact on the move every morning to clear seaweed from the shore. Seaweed floats ashore due to strong easterly winds and dips in the Gulf Stream, creating a dumping effect on our beaches with mounds of seaweed arriving virtually overnight.
What beaches are affected by sargassum?
Beaches with the highest seaweed count include Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and some points between Cancun and Puerto Morelos.
Is it safe to swim in seaweed?
Stepping on the seaweed did not cause any issues and it’s quite soft. According to Florida Health Authorities ‘the seaweed itself cannot harm your health, tiny sea creatures that live in Sargassum can cause skin rashes and blisters.
Why do Florida beaches have so much seaweed?
Several factors contribute to more seaweed blooms including warmer temperatures, nitrogen emissions, and Saharan dust. Saharan Dust can contain a mixture of iron, nitrogen, and phosphorous that can fuel seaweed blooms.
What is the brown stuff on Miami beach?
The Sargasso is named for sargassum, a free-floating brown seaweed that grows in its calm, clear waters. In the open ocean this seaweed serves as nursery grounds and a haven for sea life.
Which beach in Miami has no seaweed?
No Seaweed – Haulover Beach Park.
Why is there so much seaweed in Miami right now?
Although the causes are not fully known, researchers have linked an increase in temperature and nutrients in the sea to the increase of these algae on Florida’s coasts. To keep our beaches clean, the city of Miami Beach began burying these weeds in the sand to prevent odor on the beaches.
When should you avoid Key West?
The worst time to visit Key West is August and especially September for a high risk of rain from the annual Caribbean hurricane season. Visitors who favor land activities will find that winter also is a good time to go. Visitors who favor water activities may want to go from late spring to early summer.
Why does Florida smell like rotten eggs?
As much as it rains in Florida, the rainwater seeps through the wild and amble vegetation and leaves, picking up the organic residue naturally. After rain soaks into the aquifer, the organic compounds convert to sulfur. The sulfur is what gives the water its nasty smell compared to rotten eggs.
Why does the beach smell like sewage?
Sulfur-Making Algae. The beach’s poetic smell comes, in part, from a not-so-poetically-named sulfur compound called dimethyl sulfide, or DMS.
Is there red tide in Florida now 2022?
The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed at very low concentrations in one sample from Northwest Florida over the past week. Additional details are provided below. In Southwest Florida over the past week, K.
What months is red tide in Florida?
Red tide occurs naturally in coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico with blooms appearing seasonally. Although the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, typically blooms between August and December, blooms often deviate from that time frame.