Apalachicola OSPREY Program
Thick, Sticky Material, of Unknown Origin, Sampled Along the Shoreline of Apalachicola Bay
Video footage of extremely thick and dense, pudding-like material, terracotta in color. OSPREY Program volunteers obtained samples along a high energy shoreline of Apalachicola Bay, on the north shore of St. George Island near Sawyer Street. Along with the darker, sticky, pudding-like material was a lighter, foamy material. When it was scooped up, using a nitrile glove, we could invert our gloved hand, and the material would adhere to it. Water temperature was 62 degrees F. and the air temperature 50 degrees F. A week or so after the sampling, reports were heard of an algae bloom in a nearby bay, but no blooms were reported in NW FL thus far for 2011 on the FWRI HAB website. UPDATE: FWRI HAB listserve reports the following on 2/25/11 - "Widespread discoloration and bioluminescence in waters stretching across Okaloosa County and western Walton County as far as 60 miles offshore is due to a bloom of the non-toxic dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans. No adverse effects have been reported as a result of this bloom". Samples shown in these videos were submitted to biological scientists on 2/25/11 for independent verification. We are awaiting the results of their analysis. Video by Robin Vroegop for the Apalachicola Riverkeeper OSPREY Program.
Thick, Sticky Material, of Unknown Origin, Sampled Along the Shoreline of Apalachicola Bay
Video footage of extremely thick and dense, pudding-like material, terracotta in color. OSPREY Program volunteers obtained samples along a high energy shoreline of Apalachicola Bay, on the north shore of St. George Island near Sawyer Street. Along with the darker, sticky, pudding-like material was a lighter, foamy material. When it was scooped up, using a nitrile glove, we could invert our gloved hand, and the material would adhere to it. Water temperature was 62 degrees F. and the air temperature 50 degrees F. A week or so after the sampling, reports were heard of an algae bloom in a nearby bay, but no blooms were reported in NW FL thus far for 2011 on the FWRI HAB website. UPDATE: FWRI HAB listserve reports the following on 2/25/11 - "Widespread discoloration and bioluminescence in waters stretching across Okaloosa County and western Walton County as far as 60 miles offshore is due to a bloom of the non-toxic dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans. No adverse effects have been reported as a result of this bloom". Samples shown in these videos were submitted to biological scientists on 2/25/11 for independent verification. We are awaiting the results of their analysis. Video by Robin Vroegop for the Apalachicola Riverkeeper OSPREY Program.