red tide

The Amelia Island red tide health advisory has ended.

Emergency Management Coordinator Scott West issued a press release today stating that levels of the organism Karenia brevis, which is responsible for red tide, has "returned to baseline levels."

Samples collected on Wednesday showed that the organism was at a "present" level in two samples collected. However, samples collected from three sites on Amelia Island on the same day showed cell counts of zero for the organism. 

West wrote in the press release that there are five levels of detection, which are high, medium, low, very low, and present. The "present" level "does not have any associated health effects and is considered to be a normal beach condition, not an indication of Red Tide," West wrote.

For me, the effect was immediate and unnerving.

Instead of the salty tang of the ocean, the whipping nor’easter wind brought instant irritation to my nose and the back of my throat. The eye irritation came later, as I headed south along the beach this morning, stopping at a couple of beach accesses.

People seem to be heeding the red flags the county has hoisted warning people to stay out of the ocean, but I did see a few surfers at Main Beach. What I didn't see was the waves of dead fish that have landed on our beaches, killed by the red tide.

At the Peters Point parking lot, I talked with foreman Jerry Cooner and equipment operator L.H. Sikes, two of the county workers who've been working since yesterday raking up those dead fish and seaweed.

They said some 20 to 25 loads had been picked up from American Beach south. Cooner said 10 dump truck loads of lumber washed ashore had been picked up as well.

Despite wearing paper dust masks as the Health Department is recommending people do if they go to the beach, both men said working for hours on the beach takes a toll.

“You ever use Easy-Off?” Sikes asked. “It’s like someone sprayed Easy-Off in your face.”

What about you folks that live at the beach? What are you seeing? How is the red tide affecting you?