Many tourists don’t understand why about the ocean water on Sanibel Island has a unique color.
Is the ocean water clear on Sanibel Island?
I will explain why Sanibel Island has this color that can give you a second thought if you want to swim.
The Red Tide
When colonies of algae proliferate produces effects that are harmful to humans, fish, shellfish, or other organisms, it is called red Ttide.
Red tide is a type of harmful algal bloom (HAB).
If there is a high concentration of this alga in water, it changes its color, making it look murky or having many colors like purple, red, or green.
It is not all the time that red tide blooms make water red, and the concentrations are not always big enough to change the color of the water.
Other factors can change the color of water which is not algae blooms.
These factors include river runoff, wind events, and many more.
Sanibel Island and Ocean Color
Many people believe that changes in the color of the water result from red tides, but most color changes have nothing to do with tidal movement and should not be seen as harmful algal blooms.
Dinoflagellate, a microscopic single-celled algae organism, is responsible for red tides in Karenia brevis, a town in Florida.
You can find them when the concentration is less than 1,000 per litter any time of the year in the Gulf of Mexico, especially from Pinellas County to Collier County.
However, it is also present along the Gulf and southeastern Atlantic coasts.
Its concentrations can be as high as 1 million cells per liter of water when the conditions favor it.
Red tide bloom kills fish and other aquatic life living in the water.
You will see their dead bodies along the affected beaches.
T
here is a potent neurotoxin produced by the Florida red tide organism that kills fish and other aquatic mammals.
The aquatic mammals like sea turtles, manatees, and dolphins that breathe on the surface of the water are not exempted from the effect of red tide because they breathe in an environment that has been polluted by the red tide already.
There is not yet any medical report on its effect on humans, but many persons exposed to it had symptoms like eye, nose, and throat irritation to different degrees.
The symptoms will gradually disappear when the person goes away from that environment.
The class of people that are advised to avoid such areas is people with chronic respiratory conditions, such as asthma or chronic lung disease.
Is it safe to swim during a red tide?
It is safe for many people.
Red tide can result in skin irritation and burning eyes for some people.
Avoid water that has red tide if you are allergic to plant products.
If you enter such water and experience irritation, get out immediately, and wash thoroughly with clean water.
Avoid swimming where dead fish are.
What are the symptoms – How does red tide affect people?
You will experience respiratory irritations, such as coughing, sneezing, and tearing in an environment where red tide is present.
Avoid such environments if you have respiratory conditions such as emphysema or asthma bronchitis.
If you are free from chronic respiratory conditions, you may experience mild, short-lived respiratory symptoms like eye, nose, and throat irritation similar to cold.
If you have breathing problems like asthma, you will likely experience more severe symptoms.
However, the symptoms will disappear as soon as you leave the environment.
There has been a directive from the health office that anyone experiencing these symptoms should keep away from beaches with a red tide.
Such people should rather go into an air-conditioned space.
If the symptoms persist, you have to consult your doctor for evaluation.
The symptoms will normally disappear a few hours after leaving the environment.
Red Drift Algae
A lot of people confuse red drift algae with Red tide.
Red drift algae can be likened to colored seaweed you always see washed up on the sea shore.
It is harmless.
Red Drift Algae is a species of algae that you can see, and it looks like red seaweed.
Red Drift Algae is neither harmful nor toxic.
They come in red, brown, green, white, or different colors.
They naturally appear in an environment.
Sometimes they are washed up from the depth of the sea to the surface, along the beach coasts.
As it dries out, it gives out an offensive odor.
You will normally see it washed up around the wrack line on the beach area.
“Wrack” is the name given to seaweed, sea grass, driftwood, and such other organic materials we always see washed ashore on the beach.
There are times of the year you will see much red drift washed ashore on the beach, and some other times you will see less of it.
Why is it important to our ecosystem?
Those many invertebrates, small crustaceans, and the red drift algae on our beaches serve as food for our local and migratory shorebirds.
They are important for the ecosystem of our beaches.
They are the reason our beaches are not always groomed.
Although it is an eye-saw for beachgoers, it plays a positive role in our natural ecosystem.
The appearance of the Water
You may be seeing dark-colored water along the coast, they are water coming from the river watershed and freshwater released from Okeechobee lake.
They are the cause of the change in color of the water starting from the north end of Fort Myers Beach and getting to the south end of Sanibel Island.
As this water travels, it carries with its tannins, other plants, and organic material that changes the color of the water to dark.
FAQs
Why is this water being released?
When the rainfall is above average, the volume of water in Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee River watersheds increases, and large volumes of freshwater are released into the river.
Is the ocean water clear on Sanibel Island?
If you are looking for the best beaches on the Gulf Coast, why not check out Sanibel Island?
This Island is known for its beautiful shells and stunning view of Florida sunsets.
It has clear water also.
There are secluded places you can relax or go swimming in the beach water.
What color is the water at Sanibel Island?
The color of water in Sanibel Island is tan brown, and the runoff from Lake Okeechobee makes it smell.
Is there still red tide on Sanibel Island?
According to current reports, no areas of Lee County have red tide conditions.
Information from the Florida Department of Health states that no beach will be closed this time because of red tide.
