Sargasso.

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Unfortunately, with the rising seawater temperatures and the increasing agricultural runoff from Africa and South America, this overabundance of sargassum is likely to be the new normal. It may be an insoluble problem.

I'm thinking a compost cottage industry.
 
We flew out of Coz on July 7. I was watching the sea as we were over the gulf. Tt was amazing how much sargasso was in the water. Some of the "islands" of sargasso were huge from altitude. I can't imagine how large they actually were.
 
Here is Playa del Carmen July 15.

The little "paddle boat" seems to pick up about one cubic yard every thirty minutes or so. I guess that means in ten thousand years....

weed 1.jpg


weed 2.jpg
 
Sadly this is so devastating.
 
It seems to me that once the stuff has washed up onto the beach and ironshore it is a lot harder to deal with.
 
2 weeks ago, Mescalitos was a little smelly. Playa Bonita was REALLY smelly and that southeast corner we sat in is actually falling off now. Rasta bar wasn't really smelly at all.

Of course the sargasso was everywhere.
 
This was one of our many blog posts if you want to follow along - Sargassum Seaweed in Cozumel 2019 - Stingray Villa
The reason Cozumel's west facing beaches are sargassum-free is because the prevailing winds are and have been for a while from the east and southeast. If and when the wind shifts, where the stuff goes will change with it.
 
The reason Cozumel's west facing beaches are sargassum-free is because the prevailing winds are and have been for a while from the east and southeast. If and when the wind shifts, where the stuff goes will change with it.
We do not know what the future holds - but right now the west side is clear and that is what the traveler whats to know!
 

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