Today's NW Florida Daily News Article. Check out the headline and then the content. I sent an e-mail to the publisher and the "reporter"
Walton beachgoers hit with red tide
Expert says algae bloom is only in Bay County, but wind is blowing irritant eastward
By HEATHER CIVIL
heatherc@nwfdailynews.com
SANTA ROSA BEACH ? The red tide that gave many beachgoers grief during the weekend continued to irritate them Monday. The algae bloom near Bay County is probably what is causing Walton County beachgoers problems as the wind carries it, said Sherman Wilhelm, with the state Department of Consumer and Agricultural Services Division of Aquaculture. While it is likely getting airborne, the red tide found in the gulf near Bay County does not seem to be spreading far in the water, he said.
The most recent water sampling results, taken Friday, show no evidence of red tide in the water in Walton or Okaloosa counties. It ?seems to be isolated,? he said. Red tide is a toxic algae bloom that can kill fish and cause respiratory irritation, such as burning in the nose and throat, in humans. The scientific name for the organism is Karenia brevis. The red tide is not thought to cause any lasting health problems in most people, but it can be an annoyance. Will Bail started to cough Monday as soon as he stepped onto the boardwalk at Ed Walline Park in South Walton. It was more than clear to him that the red tide was near. The North Carolina resident said he would end his vacation early rather than keep on breathing the smelly and irritating fumes.
?I ain?t going on the beach like this,? he said between coughs.
Nobody really knows what causes red tide or how long it will last, Wilhelm said.
?I haven?t found anybody that can explain it,? he said.
The best way to deal with red tide is to avoid it if it bothers you, he said.
That?s what South Walton Fire District Beach Safety Director Gary Wise plans to do.
He usually swims in the gulf to keep in shape, but he said maybe he?ll change his routine for a few days to avoid the red tide, which has been bothering him for a couple of days.
?I think I?ll swim in the bay,? he said.
Daily News Staff Writer Heather Civil can be reached at 654-6905.
Now check out the report.....
http://research.myfwc.com/engine/do...=07rtstatnw1012.pdf&objid=9670&dltype=article
