Red Tide reaches West Palm Beach and other parts of Florida East Coast

[caruso]

Reports coming out now over the past 24 hours of positive test results for the red tide organism and the situation appears to be getting somewhat worse.

We're planning to dive in the Fort Lauderdale/Boynton/West Palm Beach areas from Thursday through Sunday next week, wondering if anyone has first hand experience on what's happening.

I'm reading about closed beaches and symptoms of respiratory distress among people that are close to the shore, that doesn't make for such good diving. And of course I worry about all the fish.

 

[hilljo88]

Rumor that beaches will reopen Wednesday? Anyone have real update on beaches and BHB?

 

[Nick Steele]

In all honesty I wouldn’t be concerned of it being around then. I believe they did some test up in Deerfield late Monday and will release if it’s present on Wednesday sometime (hope it isn’t I plan on fishing the pier Thursday). It’s rare that it reaches the east coast but it does sometimes. It doesn’t last long over here because of the wave action we see over here mixing things up.

 

[tursiops]

@caruso
The latest information is from Palm Beach Clounty itself: Newsroom - Palm Beach County Beaches to Open Wednesday...
See also the Facebook pages for Palm Beach County and for Blue Heron Bridge Dive Club.

 

[iamrushman]

oceans been rough and visibility been poor but were still boat diving in the broward area.....sargassum everywhare.

Sargassum - Wikipedia

 

[tekkydiver]

What are the Dive ops saying about this?
Residents now worried about dead fish on local beaches

 

[iamrushman]

I'm not sure today but i think the charters are going out this weekend.. weather conditions / ocean conditions permitting.

 

[caruso]

Conditions continue to deteriorate in South Florida.

Scores of dead fish washed up on the beaches, MacArthur Park in Boynton Beach is now closed to the public due to symptoms of respiratory distress in beachgoers.

Unbelievably people are still fishing off the piers that extend off the beaches from the piles of dead fish.

Residents now worried about dead fish on local beaches

 

[nolatom]

Swam Stuart beach, and dived Jupiter and BHB last week. It was all right, no obvious red tide then, at least where I was.

 

[caruso]

Swam Stuart beach, and dived Jupiter and BHB last week. It was all right, no obvious red tide then, at least where I was.

How was the visibility? The red tide/dead fish problem is only within the past 2-3 days.