Sargassum in San Crisanto: When Marine Algae Drives Away Beachgoers with its Lingering Odor
The passage of cold front 17 caused the ocean to expel seaweed, resulting in a strong stench in San Crisanto.
Following a recent influx of seaweed on the North coast, expelled by the ocean after the passage of cold front number 17, a strong stench has now emerged due to the decomposition of this vegetation accumulated in large quantities on the beach shoreline.
Visitors and residents in the summer houses in the center noted that the smell of seafood is very strong when the wind begins to blow during the evening breeze.
“The smell of the seaweed rotting on the beach is very strong; there’s so much that has washed ashore, and it’s barely decomposing, that’s why it smells bad,” said Rubi Perez, a resident of the city of Merida.
The tourist who usually spends each season on her property near the beach mentioned that this time she had to close her back doors to prevent the stench from entering her home, especially during sacred meals, as it made it uncomfortable to eat in peace.
“The smell is strong when the wind blows, especially when you’re eating. It’s even more penetrating on the beach,” she expressed.
During the December festivities, several people went to the ports to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas, but the presence of seaweed scattered across much of the beach and along the shoreline prevented many beachgoers from swimming. The water’s chocolate hue due to the movement of the seaweed made it unappealing to enter.
Local residents indicated that they are unsure if efforts will be made to remove some of this waste covering the sand and causing a bad smell due to the large amount that has accumulated over the days.
“To be honest, we don’t know if they’ll clean the beach as they have done before. There’s so much seaweed that has washed ashore, and it stinks. Last time, they buried the seaweed here on the beach,” said the inhabitants.
Nevertheless, residents added that during this season, the expulsion of this organic marine waste tends to be constant, as seaweed arrives every day, either in small or large quantities, depending on the weather conditions in the region.
“No matter how much we clean, the next day there’s seaweed again. It’s better to leave it; besides, it helps with sand formation,” pointed out Jesus Puc, a local resident. ( Editor’s note: Algae does not turn into sand, read this other NEWS)
He explained that as long as cold fronts continue to enter with a strong presence in the coastal area, the ocean will continue to expel seaweed, and it will keep accumulating on the sand.
“If there’s another bad weather coming in, there will be a new arrival of seaweed. If you remove it, more will come back. It’s better to let it decompose on its own,” some locals emphasized.
Source : Por Esto 12/28/2023