Scenes of Red Tide.

TotalKhaos

New member
well so far all great beach experiences for me until today. Took My Kids to the beach. Didnt plan on any swimming but wanted to kick around the beach and collect shells and buld castles.

As sson as we pulled in to the parking areas the smell hit me. Not the Salty thick smell we are used to. The Normal beach smells had a decaying stench to them. And although the weather is balming and humid there is a dryness to the air as you breathe it in. Dry like you are breathing in a fine powder. Immeadietely I feel the need to cough, like I need to clear my throat over and over and its only getting thicker. Once we see the beach I am disgusted and heartbroken. Dead Fish Everywhere, and the water is yellow, brown, red and all shades in between as the waves break.

I sent the kids back to the car to wait while I took it all in. People were leaving the beach as soon as they arrived, coughing and shaking their heads. By the time I left the beach was almost deserted.

These are some of the minor impacts of red tide. I counted at least 80 dead fish and critters in just a 25 foot length of beach. These images are from turtle beach, a common place to find sea turtles laying their eggs. No turtles on this day.

A few pictures I took:

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Notice the color of the water, normally very clear and blue.
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Note the Massive amounts of macroalgeas on shore, normally there is not near so much. There is at least a dozen or more different varieties of macro I found and most/many arent typical to find in mass quantities on shore.
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most pleasent picture I took was when you turn your back to the ocean:
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:(

If I didnt have my kids with me I would have traveled to some of the other beaches to find out how they were fairing, but I cant have my kids breathing that.
 
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That's the Tampa I remember. The smell is unforgettable. Hope things clear up soon and you can enjoy the beach again. Is Lowery Park still there? That was a favorite spot for us.
 
well, this is Sarasota. And I've never seen Red Tide this bad. Apparently The Red Tide has been Creeping Northward for the past month or so. It will pass in time but the destruction it leaves behind is heartbreaking.

I dont know about lowry Park, havent been into Tampa yet. But the Name Rings a bell. I'm sure it is still around.
 
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