COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Beach days never stink — until they literally do.
Beaches up and down the Central Florida coast, at least from Volusia to Brevard, are seeing an excessive amount of sargassum seaweed, which can cause a foul odor as it breaks down.
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“Due to heavy surf, winds, and currents, we have had an excessive amount of sargassum seaweed wash in,” Volusia Beaches tweeted.
The seaweed issue does provide a benefit, however.
“Although it may be stinky as it begins to break down, this is how our beautiful beach naturally restores any lost elevation. The seaweed catches and collects the wind blown sand,” the tweet said.
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Tourists on Brevard beaches were surprised by the seaweed mounds.
“It’s like, ‘Is it safe to walk on? Can I get around it? Is there a snake in it?’ We’re from Arkansas, so you never know,” said Melanie George.
“In your mind, you have this pristine beach you see in all the pictures of Florida, and then you see this and it’s like, ‘That’s not what I expected,’” Andy George said.
An Ohio man said the mounds have grown over the past few days.
“With all the high winds so many days in a row, it can be expected, but I would have never imagined that it would be this thick,” Kent Royer said.
Strong rip currents are also a concern for beachgoers.
Due to heavy surf, winds, and currents, we have had an excessive amount of sargassum seaweed wash in. Although it may be stinky as it begins to break down, this is how our beautiful beach naturally restores any lost elevation. The seaweed catches and collects the wind blown sand. pic.twitter.com/b3X5rOiYzs
— Volusia Beaches (@VolusiaBeach) May 21, 2021