Spring is in full bloom and beach season is rapidly approaching, but there are a few things you should consider before taking that trip down to the salty Gulf coast. Aside from obvious shark dangers there are other dangers that leer in the Gulf waters and salty air during the warm summer months. That sneaky danger is called The Red Tide, or The Dead Zone. It starts in the northern part of the US where large amounts of farms are utilizing fertilizer to enhance crops. Rainfall brings runoff fertilizer to the mighty Mississippi River and that runoff fertilizer gets carried all the way down to the mouth of the Mississippi down in Louisiana and into our beautiful Gulf of Mexico.
What harm could fertilizer do to the Gulf? Fertilizer enhances plant growth….
BAZINGA! Fertilizer in the Gulf causes HUGE algal blooms. So huge, in fact, that algal devouring species cannot consume it all and thus left over algae dies and decays. Here is where the problem sets in. When algae decays, oxygen in the Gulf water is taken in. No oxygen in the water creates a good environment for bad creatures. These conditions do not seem to bother jelly fish but cause other species of fish kills; thus the name, The Dead Zone. The Dead Zone is also referred to as The Red Tide because of the red color that the dead alga takes on during decay. The decaying amount of algae is so immense it can be seen from SPACE!
So what sort of dangers are caused by these algal blooms?
Well there are so many variables that we cannot lawfully say things like “red tide causes cancer” or anything related but it is notable that many people report respiratory illness after visiting red tide infested beaches likely caused by ocean spray. I have even heard of dangerous inflammatory responses in the body after a summer beach visit. Also remember that harmful bacteria thrive in anaerobic conditions… Flesh eating bacteria in the Gulf ringing a bell?
Okay, now I am terrified to go to the beach.
It is important to remember that algae use photosynthesis to create energy so algal blooms are at their peak when the sun is closest to the Earth… you know, during the summer when we all want to be out on the beach. My advice is to beach in the spring or beach in the early fall. Hit the pool or the lake during the hot summer months. In case you do visit the beach, you should know that authorities over many beaches will often put out danger flags associated with the Red Tide. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) publishes “Harmful Algal Bloom Forecasts” twice a week for some locations for public viewing. Dr. Eugene Turner is the leading expert in The Dead Zone in coastal waters whom I have had the pleasure of meeting. He is inspiring and publishes great work.
Stay safe this summer by beloved friends
-The Marsh Hen