This reddish-brown, thick seaweed, known as sargassum, isn’t a problem at lower levels but has steadily become a very real problem in the last decade.During a recent late-May visit to Mexico’s Riviera Maya, near Cancun, I encountered vast quantities of sargassum.
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How bad is seaweed in Riviera Maya?
At its worst, there can be mountainous piles of coarse brown sargassum on the beaches with an overpowering rotten eggs smell that makes you want to hold your breath. When the Riviera Maya seaweed levels are really high, the water and beaches will be full of brown sargassum making them pretty unswimmable.
Is there a lot of seaweed in Riviera Maya?
Don’t be. While it is true that sargassum washed up on some of Mexico’s most well-known beaches in 2019, there are still lots of beautiful places to swim in the Riviera Maya and across the country. Sargassum, a type of seaweed that floats on the surface of the ocean, is a normal part of the ocean ecosystem.
Which beach in Mexico has no seaweed?
Isla Mujeres
Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres and Other Beaches Without Seaweed in Mexico. If you have your heart set on visiting Mexico’s Caribbean coast, it’s still possible to find beaches with no sargassum seaweed along this vast coastline.
Is the sargassum in Riviera Maya?
According to Riviera Maya News, those regions are Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos, Solidaridad (which includes Playa del Carmen) and Tulum. Their beaches are nearly sargassum free.Blanco (which includes Chetumal) have reported only moderate levels of sargassum on their beaches.
What time of year is seaweed bad in Cancun?
In the Caribbean, seaweed season is generally May to October. The worst time for seaweed in Cancun, the Dominican Republic and much of the Caribbean is during the summer months.
Does Mexico still have a seaweed problem?
The continued presence of sargassum seaweed (a.k.a sargasso, sargazo) on the beaches of Mexico continues to be a concern to many travelers.
Is seaweed still a problem in Cancun?
The beaches of Cancun and Mexican Caribbean destinations are clean and the sea is transparent during November and will be so in December, according to forecasts derived from satellite monitoring of sargassum blooms.However, seaweed is still observed floating in the sea.
Does Cancun still have a seaweed problem 2021?
The ships including 4 ocean sweepers are currently operating in the ocean waters surrounding Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel and Tulum.As of May 31, 2021 over 10 thousand tons of seaweed have been removed from the ocean and beaches in 7 municipalities around Quintana Roo.
Does Dominican Republic have seaweed problem?
This seaweed is usually far offshore, but ocean currents bring it to the Dominican coast.Seaweed in Punta Cana is not pollution, but it represents an economic and environmental problem for the country. That is why workers work really hard to make tourists comfortable to relax on the beach.
Is it safe to swim in sargassum?
Sargassum presents risks to human health as well. In the water, it’s harmless to humans, but the trouble begins once it lands on the beach and starts to decompose.Breathing in these toxic gases may cause respiratory, skin and neurocognitive symptoms in people that come in close contact with degrading sargasso.
Does Punta Cana have seaweed problem?
PUNTA CANA SEAWEED FREE BEACHES
the beach is located, in relation to the Atlantic Ocean.Seaweed levels in Punta Cana will vary almost every day; the main areas affected are Cap Cana and Cabeza de Toro. Although most hotels in Cap Cana have installed special nets to keep the seaweed in Punta Cana away.
Does Maroma beach have seaweed?
Secrets Maroma have staff that manage the seaweed on the beach, sometimes throughout the day, but of course there can be weeds in the water.It is a very pretty beach regardless. over a year ago.
Does Isla Mujeres have seaweed problem?
And although Isla Mujeres does have sargassum on its beaches in this current wave, it’s one of the better destinations to avoid the seaweed.Cancun, which has already removed as much sargassum in 2021 as the entire 2020 season, has also brought in additional workers to support the clearing of beaches.
Is sargassum seaweed edible?
Sargassum is edible, it’s harvested to feed livestock too, and you can fry, boil, steam or dry it. It’s played a part in Chinese medicine as far back as the 8th century, treating goiters (high iodine content) — and made into tea to control phlegm.
Why is there so much seaweed on the beach?
Warmer, overnutrified waters
Data gathered over the past decade has revealed the likely causes of these seaweed invasions: Saharan dust clouds, warming temperatures and the growing human nitrogen footprint. Just as nutrients feed red tide blooms, they feed sargassum, which thrives in warmer water.
Why is the seaweed so bad in Cancun?
The most impacted areas are often the Atlantic-facing shores across those areas, though due to winds and currents, sometimes other shores in the area can end up with piles of this seaweed that releases pungent hydrogen sulfide as it decomposes.
How long will the seaweed last in Cancun?
Although the seaweed season runs from May until August, swimming is still permitted on all Cancun beaches. Visitors should be aware to swim in areas that the water is very blue. Avoid areas where the water has become dark green due to seaweed floating in high concentrations.
Why does sargassum happen?
Data gathered over the past decade has revealed the likely causes of these seaweed invasions: Saharan dust clouds, warming temperatures and the growing human nitrogen footprint. Just as nutrients feed red tide blooms, they feed sargassum, which thrives in warmer water.
What do you do with seaweed from the beach?
There’s a couple of ways for getting it into your home soil food web.
- Seaweed as mulch. Slip some seaweed under your existing garden mulch here and there – it will jellify and break down into the soil food web gradually.
- Seaweed as garden nutrient tea. Seaweed tea is easy peasy.
- Seaweed in your compost.
How do you get rid of seaweed on the beach?
SEAWEED AND SARGASSUM REMOVAL
The SURF RAKE is the only sand cleaner that easily removes wet, heavy seaweed and mounds of sargassum. Beach cleanup can be a struggle when sargassum weed is continually deposited on the beach.
