What is invading Florida beaches?

Here's why seaweed is piling up along Florida beaches Since 2011, a fleet of seaweed patches double the size of the contiguous U.S. has cycled from West Africa to Florida, threatening beaches from Martinique to Miami. This year, it could grow bigger.



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Red Tide is a naturally occurring phenomenon caused by an overgrowth of algae in the water. In Florida, the red tide in 2023 has been caused by the toxic algae Karenia brevis.

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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.

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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.

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Siesta Key, Santa Rosa Beach, and Key Biscayne are among the safest beach towns in Florida with low crime rates and welcoming locals. Visitors to Anna Maria Island can enjoy the beautiful beaches and a tight-knit community that prioritizes safety.

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Florida officials say records of red tide along the state's Gulf of Mexico coast date back to the 1840s. In the Gulf of Mexico, red tide most commonly occurs between August and December, but it can also happen at other times of year, notes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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Sargassum season in the Mexican Caribbean typically runs from May through October, with July and August generally being the worst months for its arrival.

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Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, Mexico Playa Norte is a dazzling beach in the Caribbean without sargassum seaweed. This beach is a perfect white sand haven for vacationers to take a break from their busy lives.

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10 Best Beaches in Florida
  • Fort Zachary Taylor State Park.
  • Sanibel Island.
  • South Beach.
  • Grayton Beach State Park, South Walton.
  • Siesta Beach.
  • Pensacola Beach.
  • Fort Lauderdale Beach.
  • Caladesi Island State Park.


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Which Florida beaches have the clearest water?
  • St. Andrews State Park, Panama City Beach.
  • Bean Point Beach, Anna Maria Island.
  • Inlet Beach, South Walton.
  • Clearwater Beach, Clearwater.
  • Destin Beach, Emerald Coast.
  • Smathers Beach, Key West.
  • Navarre Beach, Florida Gulf Coast.
  • Blue Mountain Beach, Santa Rosa Beach.


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10 Best Beaches in Florida
  • Fort Zachary Taylor State Park.
  • Sanibel Island.
  • South Beach.
  • Grayton Beach State Park, South Walton.
  • Siesta Beach.
  • Pensacola Beach.
  • Fort Lauderdale Beach.
  • Caladesi Island State Park.


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Eighty-four percent of Gulf Coast beaches, 70% of West Coast beaches, and 63% of the Great Lakes reached these potentially unsafe levels at least once in 2022.

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Panama City Beach. Known for having the beaches with the clearest water in Florida you can not miss this Emerald Coast classic. You don't get that name by just by having crystal clear water in Florida but you must also have beautiful pristine beaches too. Panama City Beach in Florida's gulf coast is a wonder to behold.

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Bits of Sargassum seaweed are washing ashore around Avenida 16-18 on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Giant blobs of Sargassum hug the shoreline next to the William O Lockhart Municipal Pier in Lake Worth Beach, Florida on June 1, 2023. Sargassum accumulates on the beach at Phipps Ocean Park Tuesday May 30, 2023 in Palm Beach.

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