Seaweed-don't miss it!

checking out the sargassum clumps floating in the water offers better snorkeling than the rest of the barren sandy ocean floor. Once onshore, the sargassum and June Grass provide great critter habitats and act as beach builders. Sargassum pods also make a salty salad.

checking out the sargassum clumps floating in the water offers better snorkeling than the rest of the barren sandy ocean floor. Once onshore, the sargassum and June Grass provide great critter habitats and act as beach builders. Sargassum pods also make a salty salad.

Ooh! Recipe, please!

Cool Website!!! Thanks Skunky!!!

no recipe, punzy. just pic a few of the floating pods from the sargassum and eat them while out in the water. They have a nice light salty flavor. I've heard of people picking the pods and toasting them, to make little crunchies for salad toppers and such. Don't know if you are supposed to use the green ones or the ones which have turned brown. I've been eating the green ones.

Here is another link on the wonders of Sargassum Grass. www.marlinmag.com/article.jsp?ID=17095

Unfortunately, it won't be long until the calls start coming in for the TDC to rake it up and take it off the beach.

However, this yearly influx of seaweed is very good for the beach, in addition to what Skunky was talking about. Sandy beaches are for lack of a better description, a desert wasteland, as far as organic fertilizer goes. When the seaweed washes up on the beach, it dries out rather quickly leaving that wonderful odor that everyone appreciates;-). After it dries it breaks up and is blown all around the beach and most importantly up into the dunes. This is the major non-human source of fertilizer for our dunes outside of rainwater so it is very important for the dunes and beaches.

That being said, the question often comes up, why don't you go ahead and move it to the toe of the dunes. Well, the answer is that the County can't do it as if they touch it, it has to be taken off the beach which is bad for the beach and is impractical as quickly as it washes in. This is due to state and federal permitting issues. So now you know why the County does not actively participate in seaweed removal and why it is good for the beach.

OK, OK, no more complaining about seaweed.

Oh nooo. the dreaded June grass! I leave for vacation tomm. Tell me it's not that bad.

I am very glad to see we are finally getting a good dose of Mother Natures own beach renourishment. And it didnt cost a dime!

Oh nooo. the dreaded June grass! I leave for vacation tomm. Tell me it's not that bad.

not here YET

We went to the beach yesterday afternoon. At first we were mad because there was tons of seaweed washing up and it was a bit, um, pungent. I was surf fishing and as the stuff floated by, I noticed all sorts of critters that were hitchhiking on the sargassum. I gave up on fishing and started really looking at the little biospheres and it was amazing! Shrimp, crabs, all sorts of fish with markings similar to the weed were all over the stuff. Here is a link:http://www.imagequestmarine.com/photos/sargassum/index.htm

I urge everyone to take a look, especially if you have kids. They will be fascinated!

.

I have seen the crabs and a few other things in it before, but would love to see an angler fish!


.

Unfortunately, it won't be long until the calls start coming in for the TDC to rake it up and take it off the beach.

However, this yearly influx of seaweed is very good for the beach, in addition to what Skunky was talking about. Sandy beaches are for lack of a better description, a desert wasteland, as far as organic fertilizer goes. When the seaweed washes up on the beach, it dries out rather quickly leaving that wonderful odor that everyone appreciates;-). After it dries it breaks up and is blown all around the beach and most importantly up into the dunes. This is the major non-human source of fertilizer for our dunes outside of rainwater so it is very important for the dunes and beaches.

That being said, the question often comes up, why don't you go ahead and move it to the toe of the dunes. Well, the answer is that the County can't do it as if they touch it, it has to be taken off the beach which is bad for the beach and is impractical as quickly as it washes in. This is due to state and federal permitting issues. So now you know why the County does not actively participate in seaweed removal and why it is good for the beach.

The Tdc better not move a thing. The Seaweed is an important part of the dune building process not to mention beach manicuring I believe is against the law.

Think of the seaweed as a spa treatment! Great micronutrients for the skin, ask any esthetician.

Does anyone remember the year it was so bad that one of the floats in the July 4th parade featured it? I think it was our own Dave R. that wore the gas mask on that float.

96 and 97 when we were in a La Nina. Now we are entering another La Nina so I suppose were in for some more of it.

The Tdc better not move a thing. The Seaweed is an important part of the dune building process not to mention beach manicuring I believe is against the law.

I am not sure how you missed it, but if you re-read the last sentence of my post you will see that the TDC DOES NOT remove the seaweed even though they get numerous requests to do so. As a matter of fact the information I posted is exactly what the TDC tells people when they get the phone calls. The only rare exception is if there is a specific small area that has dangerous debris mixed into it like happened after the passage of the hurricanes in 2004-05 that had broken boards with nails, etc.

On the other hand mechanical beach cleaning is legal in Florida if permitted and done under certain conditions. Once again, the TDC DOES NOT do mechanical beach cleaning either.

Opps! not tryin to diss ya Your in front of you and the other Auburn chick that is reading over my shoulder.:roll:

I thought I was in the College Football Thread. My bad!

Opps! not tryin to diss ya Your in front of you and the other Auburn chick that is reading over my shoulder.:roll:

I thought I was in the College Football Thread. My bad!

No worries. I just don't want them under the bus for something they try to be proactive about. Now let's all go eat some Sargassum.

Walked from Ed Walline to the Retreat this morning and there is a pretty fair line of the weeds at the shoreline. Also noted a green tinge to the water gathering right at the sand that I think will create that slime that gets into everything and makes fishing bad for a few weeks. No smell yet though.

Are you folks really serious about eating that stuff or is someone pulling a stunt just to see someone actually try it so you can laugh your arse off at them?

I am looking forward to my surf fishing (selfish me) and really hope that it does not ruin it. It can really gunk up the lines and make it not worth doing. Oh well.

I was raving to everyone about how clear the water was. Then on Tuesday the seaweed appeared. At least it's not that slimey green stuff.

Unfortunately, it won't be long until the calls start coming in for the TDC to rake it up and take it off the beach.

However, this yearly influx of seaweed is very good for the beach, in addition to what Skunky was talking about. Sandy beaches are for lack of a better description, a desert wasteland, as far as organic fertilizer goes. When the seaweed washes up on the beach, it dries out rather quickly leaving that wonderful odor that everyone appreciates;-). After it dries it breaks up and is blown all around the beach and most importantly up into the dunes. This is the major non-human source of fertilizer for our dunes outside of rainwater so it is very important for the dunes and beaches.

That being said, the question often comes up, why don't you go ahead and move it to the toe of the dunes. Well, the answer is that the County can't do it as if they touch it, it has to be taken off the beach which is bad for the beach and is impractical as quickly as it washes in. This is due to state and federal permitting issues. So now you know why the County does not actively participate in seaweed removal and why it is good for the beach.

The beach service guys at High Pointe were raking it up last year because people, uh, actually complained about it. A deputy on a four-wheeler drove by and made them stop, citing the exact reasons mentioned by you and SJ.

Can anyone post a pic of the beach....si I can get an idea of what I am up against....Thanks
guys

I'll probably be down there shortly. I see that my phone.....is not working....too well this afternoon. Will also hit the beach in the AM. I will post after that of what it looks like near Ed Walline in SRB.

Can anyone post a pic of the beach....si I can get an idea of what I am up against....Thanks
guys

This isn't SOWAL, but it is pretty much what it was like yesterday.