Red Tide

a common term used for a harmful algal bloom

Have you ever gone to the beach and started coughing or finding it hard to breathe? There may have been a harmful algae bloom close by that you could not see. Your eyes may also be watering by being irritated too. What do you do?

All of this could convince you to make your beach day another day? As the wind blows from the south one morning it has been known to change by the afternoon. Some folks just swim and play wondering what’s going on. It’s your choice.

The images on these pages were from a harmful algal bloom that lasted a few days and the sea creatures could not breathe. They washed up on the sugar white beach sands, dried up, then became lunch for crabs and the birds. This day my eyes were irritated, I could smell dead fish, and I still wanted to take photos. I thought it was a way of showing my respect for nature and the cycle of life. I know it’s sad, kinda of scary, and still beautiful in a way.

Read information online by visiting this site oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/redtide.html

“But not all algal blooms are harmful. Most blooms, in fact, are beneficial because the tiny plants are food for animals in the ocean. In fact, they are the major source of energy that fuels the ocean food web.”