Almost afraid to ask: what was that pink skum at Three Tree?

lavachickie · Post by **lavachickie** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:40 pm

Last night we got in at Three Tree around 7pm. Awesome vis -- along the shore the water was *crystal clear* and there was no sign of any thing odd. Vis down below was awesome, and we had a great dive. As we came up from that first dive, we didn't notice much amiss.

Three great NW Dive Club members had gone in after us and came back about 20 minutes after we exited, and said there was a reddish haze of particulates coming in at the shoreline. As we headed in for our night dive, it was no joke... a very obvious redish/pinkish bit of stuff... very fine, swirling just on the surface/first inch or two. It was just at the edge, covering about a foot or two out from shore.

By the time we came up from that dive... there was a red/pink foam of... funk... on the water stretching out about 10-15 feet from shore. From underneath it was opaque in parts -- funky! Lots of bioluminescence in it as well, we noted. It wasn't SOLID for as far as the eye could see, but there was a lot of it. Surprising given how pristine things had been not long before that.

Anyone have a clue what it was?

Or do I not want to know?

Amy

(ps -- great to meet a number of the folks from the board this weekend on Banditos, at Three Tree, and at Cove 2!)

Penopolypants · Post by **Penopolypants** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:44 pm

Sounds like a red tide. Blech.

lavachickie · Post by **lavachickie** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:24 am

Aha! That was my thought, but someone at the shop we filled up at said no.

But yup, that's it! Looked like this, sorta: http://www.eoearth.org/files/133101_133 ... edtide.jpg

scottsax · Post by **scottsax** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:06 am

In Washington waters, the dinoflagellate species Gonyaulax is the usual cause of red tide. Thank you, Mr. McGowan for 10th grade Marine Science!

scottsax · Post by **scottsax** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:11 am

Although, I don't see anything on the Washington Department of Health website indicating that beaches are closed due to paralytic shellfish poisoning risk (or any sort of specific biotoxin), just pollution.

lavachickie · Post by **lavachickie** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:53 am

Thanks! It was surprising how quickly it materialized.

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:04 pm

It looked just like the picture in that Link from
http://www.eoearth.org/files/133101_133 ... edtide.jpg
Here are a few pics I took.
I sure had reservations about sticking my reg in my mouth after it was floating in this stuff!
I sank it, purged it and went for it. I'm not sick yet!

Blaiz · Post by **Blaiz** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:05 pm

but was it tasty?

enchantmentdivi · Post by **enchantmentdivi** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:33 pm

Weird. I dove at 3-Tree on Saturday AM around 9:00ish and Sunday AM around 8:00ish. No sign of this stuff.

DecidedlyOdd · Post by **DecidedlyOdd** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:55 pm

I saw this stuff on Friday evening too. Upon arriving at the site, I walked down to the water to check out the conditions and noticed some light red particulates floating in the surface of the water. After gearing up and heading back down, it was completely gone but had returned by the time we surfaced after about an hour underwater.

Scuba Scott · Post by **Scuba Scott** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:27 pm

There was some at Redondo tonight.

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 1:47 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 21, 2011
11-169

Harmless, normal red-orange bloom showing up in Puget Sound

OLYMPIA – Scientists from the Department of Ecology’s marine monitoring program in a routine overflight of Puget Sound have spotted an extensive reddish bloom in Puget Sound that they suspect is harmless.

It is not the so-called “red tide” that refers to paralytic shellfish poisoning (http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/sf/Pubs/PSPfactSheet.htm).

The bloom extends from Kingston to Des Moines, and across the Central Basin from Seattle to Bainbridge Island.

Today, they collected water samples they predict will confirm that the bloom is Noctiluca (pronounced “nock-ti-lukah”), a harmless single-celled micro-organism that bioluminesces and occurs normally at this time of year. This kind of plankton does not photosynthesize, but gets its red color from the phytoplankton it eats, a type of nutrition called heterotrophy.

This type of bloom shows up as large, red-brown, even orange “tomato-soup-like” streaks along current and tidal convergence lines, according to Dr. Christopher Krembs of Ecology’s marine monitoring program.

Krembs said the bloom is also accumulating along shores and beaches.

“We are reasonably certain this is Noctiluca, so there is no public health threat,” Krembs said. “As the sun warms the water, the water stratifies, holding the tiny plankton near the surface where they flourish.”

Ecology has received numerous inquiries from the public who suspect an oil or paint spill.

If you see red, brown or orange colored water in Puget Sound, it is likely this bloom. However, Ecology continues to encourage the public to report any suspected pollution in the water.

If you are observing an algae bloom in freshwater, be extremely careful. It could be a toxic algae bloom that is poisonous to humans and animals.

You can report pollution problems to the Department of Ecology online (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/reportaproblem.html) or by calling the Ecology office nearest you as listed here (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/org.html).

See Ecology’s photo of the bloom online (

###
Media Contact: Sandy Howard, 360-407-6408 (desk), 360-791-3177 (cell); sandy.howard@ecy.wa.gov

For more information:
Algae blooms
-Marine: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/mar_wat/mwalgae.html
-Freshwater: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plant ... index.html
Ecology Marine Monitoring Program http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/mar_ ... _intr.html
Ecology’s Web site: http://www.ecy.wa.gov
###

____________________________________________________________________________
Office of Communication and Education Ecology's Home Page:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:35 am

Whoo hoo! Thanks desteding!

ljjames · Post by **ljjames** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:42 pm

Sea Sparkle!!!!!!!!!!!! it can make for some very pretty effect when there are little waves lapping at the beach on a dark night...

Northwest Dive Club

Almost afraid to ask: what was that pink skum at Three Tree?

Almost afraid to ask: what was that pink skum at Three Tree?

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Re: Almost afraid to ask: what was that pink skum at Three T

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Re: Almost afraid to ask: what was that pink skum at Three T

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