Sydney's Beaches Closed as Algae Turns the Sea Blood Red; Large Numbers of Fish are Believed to Have Perished

Beach Turns Blood Red, Swimmers Flee

November 27, 2012

ABC News - Sydney's famous beaches, popular with surfers, looked more like a scene out of a horror movie today when the waters were stained blood red from an algae bloom.

Bondi Beach, as well as nearby Clovelly Beach and Gordon's Bay, were closed while authorities tested the water.

The beaches reopened in the late afternoon after the red algae, which was identified as Noctiluca scintillans or sea sparkle, begin to fade, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Algae blooms are most prevalent in hot, humid weather, the newspaper reported. Australia is currently enjoying the transition from spring to its summer, which begins in December.

PHOTOS: Red Tide Shocks Swimmers

While red algae isn't toxic, people were advised to avoid swimming in the algae-colored water because its high ammonia levels can cause skin irritation.

"It has got quite a fishy smell to it," lifeguard Bruce Hopkins told the Australian Associated Press. "It can irritate some people's skin but generally not much more than that."

Hopkins said the red algae was rare but definitely not unheard of.

Despite the warnings, it didn't stop some swimmers, including the one pictured above, from jumping in to the surf.

Earlier this month, Prince Charles visited Bondi Beach as part of a tour celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

Tourists in Australia flee as Bondi Beach turns into the 'Red Sea' because of rare algae bloom

• Beaches closed over health fears but some swimmers are braving the water
• Phenomenon caused when tiny plants flourish due to unusual conditions
• They can appear in various colours often with spectacular results
• Algae is high in ammonia which can cause skin rashes and eye irritation
• Large numbers of fish are believed to have perished

November 27, 2012

Telegraph - Tourists heading for world-famous Bondi Beach were left high and dry today after a rare natural phenomenon turned the water blood red.

Bondi was among several popular beaches in and around Sydney, Australia, which had to be closed after a huge algae bloom transformed the sea into something resembling a scene from a Jaws movie.

But despite the warnings a number of intrepid beachgoers were seen venturing into the water and swimming through the red surface, Ten News Sydney reported.

The natural phenomenon is caused when algae, a plant-like organism flourishes and large groups of the miniscule plants, which can appear in various colours, gather together often with spectacular results.Known as Nocturnal Scintillans or sea sparkle it has no toxic effects but people are still advised to avoid swimming in areas with discoloured water because the algae, which can be high in ammonia, can cause skin irritation.

British tourists were among large groups of visitors who were told by lifeguards not to enter the water until the all-clear was given because the algae can irritate the skin and cause other health problems.

Ken Roberts, 23, from Birmingham, England said:

‘Perhaps I’m just in the wrong country – I thought the Red Sea was somewhere in Asia.’

Local lifeguard Bruce Hopkins said:

'It has quite a fishy smell to it.

'It makes the water look like it has a coating of tomato-sauce coloured oil.’

The algae has already disappointing thousands who had headed to the coast to cool off as the summer Down Under finally gets under way of a prolonged cold period.

The New South Wales (NSW) Office of Water has been carrying out a series of tests to discover what caused the bloom. One theory is that it was caused by an upwelling of colder nutrient-rich water. A spokesman said that the blooms, sometime referred to as 'red tides', are more common around spring and autumn when the water temperature is higher and there are greater movements in ocean currents.

Large numbers of fish are believed to have perished from the effects of the algae.

A spokesman for the local council said red algae could be dangerous to some humans exposed to it.

‘There are some possible risks to human health including skin rashes and eye irritation and for this reason the beach will remain closed until the algae dissipates,’ he said.

Tourists and locals are hoping that the algae will have dissipated by the weekend, when temperatures are expected to reach 40c.

Sydney's Blood Red Dust Storm September 22, 2009





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