Red Tide at Point of Rocks

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We decided to spend the afternoon at Point of Rocks, which is here on Siesta Key, about two miles north from where we're staying. Red tide had come on Thursday, and we got to see some of the aftermath. Red tide is when there is a large red algae bloom close to shore. It produces toxins that kill a lot of sea life, which then washes ashore. My parents had combed Turtle Beach before it was cleaned up, and they said the dead fish were everywhere. That's how we found Point of Rocks today. I saw dead crabs, dead eels, and hundreds and hundreds of dead fish. There were skeletons everywhere, too, from fish who had died and were picked clean by the birds.

I'm not sure if there were more shells that were swept on shore with the dead animals, or if there were just fewer people beach coming because of the dead creatures. For whatever reasaon, the beach was covered in seashells. My mom and I enjoyed picking out our favorites, and I told her she should make an outdoor, cemented table top with them.

When we were done gawking at the dead creatures and picking seashells, we strolled a couple of blocks north to Crescent Beach. Crescent Beach had been cleaned up from the red tide. There were still dead fish on shore, but they were more scarce.

Oliver enjoyed picking up seashells and throwing them into the ocean. He yelled random things as he threw. I heard him yell, "Peanut butter and jelly!", "Uncle Scott!", "Cheese!", and "I don't like rules!" as he hurled seashells back into the water. The kid cracks me up. Meanwhile, Joanna decided that sand was nothing to be afraid of after all. She went from screaming every time sand touched her to digging in it and playing with the bucket and shovel. She was very good at scooping up sand and depositing it into her green bucket.

Uncle Andy came and helped Andrew bury Oliver in the sand. We soaked up a little sun, watched the waves roll in, and then went back to the bungalows for nap time. The sun and water really take it out of the kids!

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Photos

Dead Fish
Many of the beaches are littered with dead fish due to the red tide.

Red Tide
The red algae bloom killed lots of fish that have washed up on shore.

Dead Eel?
I believe this is a dead, severed eel that died from the red algae bloom.

Lots of Dead Fish
We saw hundreds and hundreds of dead fish that washed up on shore.

Something Dead
This creature died from the red algae bloom, too. I have no idea what this thing was.

Point of Rocks, Siesta Key
We're at Point of Rocks, above the high tide line and away from the hundreds of dead fish and sea creatures.

Andrew and Joanna
She's still avoiding the sand.

Oliver and Grandma Judy
Oliver enjoyed throwing rocks and shells back into the ocean. He had to be careful not to step on dead fish!

Seashells
There were so many shells at Rock Point!

Grandma Judy and Oliver
We're walking from Point of Rocks in Siesta Key to Crescent Beach. Crescent Beach was cleaned up a bit from the red tide, so there weren't as many dead fish.

Kicking Back at Crescent Beach
Andy, Erin, and Julie met us at Crescent Beach. Oliver got buried in sand.

Erin on Crescent Beach
The sun was shining, and the temperatures were warm. It's a perfect January day in Florida.

Comments

[colleen]

dead fish
Not positive, but looks like a dead puffer fish