During our brief visit to the Jensen Beach area we visited the ocean beach to take a swim. While I was arranging for chairs and an umbrella I let out a little hack. Just a little cough. The lady running the concession said that the hack was from the Red Tide. I was very skeptical since I'm looking out at what looks like clean blue/green water. I told her the water looks good to me and she said it doesn't matter. It's still there. I ask if it was OK to swim and she said she wouldn't. I was stunned. When we got set up on the beach I noticed that nearly everyone was hacking that little cough. It was hard to deny. Anyway, I went swimming and had a beautiful swim only marred by the fact that the slope of the beach wasn't conducive for body surfing. I showered after which isn't my normal practice. I had no ill effects on my skin or otherwise.
I've seen Red Tide. There was some at Mulligan's which is in Stuart and is on the Indian River. There were fish jumping all over the place including in it. I had no hacking there. The areas of that river that don't have red tide have brown water. I think that color is largely due to tannins in the water and not necessarily an indication of water quality - although most sources indicate St. Lucie River is suspect. When we were in Naples the harbor was red in color. We sat at Tin City and I had no hacking. My wife said she experienced respiratory symptoms - but she's a auto-immune mess and not the best indicator.
So for those of you on the front lines - what gives? Does it affect areas with otherwise clean looking water? Was the St. Lucie River ever blue/green with clean water? Will there be a solution or is this the new normal?
I've seen Red Tide. There was some at Mulligan's which is in Stuart and is on the Indian River. There were fish jumping all over the place including in it. I had no hacking there. The areas of that river that don't have red tide have brown water. I think that color is largely due to tannins in the water and not necessarily an indication of water quality - although most sources indicate St. Lucie River is suspect. When we were in Naples the harbor was red in color. We sat at Tin City and I had no hacking. My wife said she experienced respiratory symptoms - but she's a auto-immune mess and not the best indicator.
So for those of you on the front lines - what gives? Does it affect areas with otherwise clean looking water? Was the St. Lucie River ever blue/green with clean water? Will there be a solution or is this the new normal?