Is Sargassum Seaweed Dangerous Or Just A Nuisance? As sargassum washes ashore every year in Key West, locals and visitors alike are primarily annoyed by the smell of the sargassum quantity on the beach.
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While exposed eastern shores are most likely to get hit by surges of sargassum, some beaches in Mexico have no sargassum. This includes Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo and Cozumel's western shore. They're generally seaweed-free.
There are reports that the typically clear blue waters of Marathon, Florida have been inundated by the seaweed. Additionally, beaches on Florida's east coast, including Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and the Miami Beach area, are also seeing mounds of sargassum wash ashore.
In Grenada, Grand Anse regularly tops the list of the world's best beaches due to its crystal clear waters and its 2 kilometre long stretch of white sand dotted with palm trees. It's also blessedly free of sargassum seaweed.
Palm Beach in Aruba, Dutch CaribbeanIt's one of the most reliable Caribbean islands without sargassum. While there are several small, boutique-sized hotels in Aruba, here are two of our favourite large resorts on Palm Beach and Eagle Beach.
Study: Sargassum on beaches can hide notable amounts of Vibrio bacteria. COCOA BEACH, Fla. — The sight of bountiful seaweed coating parts of the shoreline of Florida's Atlantic coast is nothing new for the late spring and early summertime. What is new to researchers is what may be within the sargassum.
Currently, beach cams in Fort Myers Beach and Naples show clear shorelines with little to no sargassum. It is noted that 'Seaweed Season' just ended, which tends to appear on Florida beaches in the spring, with a peak in June.
You can also swim and enjoy other water sports like windsurfing and snorkeling as well as kayaking and paddleboarding in the clear, clean water inhabited by tropical fish.
Popular resort hubs, including Playa del Carmen and Tulum, have ramped up efforts to deter sargassum from affecting travelers. What is this? Both destinations have set up temporary barriers and hired more cleaners in an effort to attract more travelers.
Since 2011, 2023 still ranks in the top half of the worst sargassum seaweed seasons. With the latest data, USF researchers say in June, sargassum will likely decrease in the Gulf of Mexico, meaning beachgoers may not have such a smelly experience. The USF lab forecasts the decrease to continue through August.
USF reports it remains difficult to predict exact timing and location for individual beaching events but substantial amounts of the seaweed are expected in May in both the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. June is forecast to be the likely peak of the 2023 season, but impacts are expected to continue into July.
Learn about sargassum (seaweed) on Miami-Dade County beachesIt provides crucial habitat for many marine species, including endangered sea turtles, which, upon hatching on our beaches, make their way out to the sargassum to spend their juvenile years feeding and growing amongst the seaweed mats.
OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. -- There are currently no reports of sargassum impacting Destin-Fort Walton beaches, but Okaloosa County is making preparations just in case.
(Sargassum echinocarpum)Endemic to Hawai'i, limu kala is one of the most important algae used in cultural practices. It is used in ho'oponopono, or forgiveness, ceremonies, where participants would be given a piece of limu kala, pray, and then eat the limu at the end.
Sargassum can collect on windward coasts in the Turks and Caicos, such as on much of South Caicos, Grand Turk, the eastern side of North Caicos, and the Ambergris Cays.