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Poppaj

SoWal Insider
Oct 9, 2015
8,337
20,138
Warm and extremely wet.

Seriously though, there's no guarantees to clear water, especially if there's rain in the forecast. Heavy rain fall usually causes the dune lakes to burst releasing the tannin filled waters that cause completely black to hard to see in water.

It'll all be brown shortly though as Bay County is restoring the East Pass.
We had a code brown in one of our pools yesterday
 

Will B

Moderator
Jan 5, 2006
4,549
1,298
Atlanta, GA
What is east pass?
East pass is the Choctawhatchee Bay's inlet in Destin. There's an East Pass into Andrews Bay as well in PC. When the tide goes out bay water in the bays which is very brown with tannins flows into the gulf making the water a bit brown at the outflow. When the tide reverses, the water flows back into the bays and will be clear and green. There's nothing wrong or dirty with it. It's just brown water from the same process that makes your iced tea brown.
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,893
9,661
East pass is the Choctawhatchee Bay's inlet in Destin. There's an East Pass into Andrews Bay as well in PC. When the tide goes out bay water in the bays which is very brown with tannins flows into the gulf making the water a bit brown at the outflow. When the tide reverses, the water flows back into the bays and will be clear and green. There's nothing wrong or dirty with it. It's just brown water from the same process that makes your iced tea brown.

The East pass I'm referring to is currently closed and allows Shell Island to remain a peninsula. When Bay county reopens it it allows St. Andrews Bay to continuously drain. This was done in the late 90's and it creates a constant darkening of the Gulf Waters. As the current naturally moves west to east along the coast it will begin dragging that cloud in our direction, BUT some of the recreational fishermen in Bay county won't have to drive through the current pass.
 

Ken

Beach Lover
Jan 22, 2007
110
18
The East pass I'm referring to is currently closed and allows Shell Island to remain a peninsula. When Bay county reopens it it allows St. Andrews Bay to continuously drain. This was done in the late 90's and it creates a constant darkening of the Gulf Waters. As the current naturally moves west to east along the coast it will begin dragging that cloud in our direction, BUT some of the recreational fishermen in Bay county won't have to drive through the current pass.
How would it make the Gulf darker? Because there is already a pass at St Andres State Park and Shell Island?
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,893
9,661
How would it make the Gulf darker? Because there is already a pass at St Andres State Park and Shell Island?

Think of the bay like a beer can, right now it's open like any other beer can; now punch a hole in the other end, pours a lot faster now doesn't it? They are effectively shotgunning the bay.

I lived here during that time, the waters off of PCB were never clear, once they allowed the East pass to seal back up it returned to emerald waters.
 

Ken

Beach Lover
Jan 22, 2007
110
18
Think of the bay like a beer can, right now it's open like any other beer can; now punch a hole in the other end, pours a lot faster now doesn't it? They are effectively shotgunning the bay.

I lived here during that time, the waters off of PCB were never clear, once they allowed the East pass to seal back up it returned to emerald waters.
Did it affect SoWal water?
 
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