There may be another red tide event brewing! Numbers of red tide organisms are rising, although thankfully it it is not likely to be as large as the last one. The cause of this one is the natural upwelling of deep ocean waters flowing to the surface, carrying nutrients. Just when the water has somewhat cleared for the divers, and the fishes are getting a break with increased oxygen. During the red tides, diving is described as like descending into nighttime.
I've included a couple of pictures of the foam on the ocean around Scripps Pier from the last Red tide event. In some places it was as much as 3 feet thick! Some fun to play in. As the dinoflagellates die off their proteins, lignins and lipids form a kind of soap that keeps the sea foam from breaking up. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/seafoam.html The foam this time was perfectly safe. HOWEVER, that is not always the case. Some algae produce toxins that can cause serious side effects, even if you are not in or near the water. Toxins can become airbourne as the bubbles burst and are carried by breezes. You should always research the responsible algae and its toxicity before entering the water during a red tide.
(Thanks to the Deheyn Lab members at Scripps Institute of Oceanography for this post!)
photos from Kara Wiggins
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