What is up with the ocean in Fort Lauderdale (Fort Myers: beach, place)

[tom77falcons]

Originally Posted by ruski

The other day in Sunny Isles, much less seaweed compared to the previous weekend.

very nice and seems to have that color that I thought fort lauderdale used to have.



I think the winds have died down considerably from the last few weeks. Calm nights really clear the ocean up and before that the nights were windy. I'm hoping winds stay calm for a while. When they do I think the sargassum stays in the gulf stream and doesn't come ashore as much.




Are summers typically very windy in southeast Florida?

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by tom77falcons

very nice and seems to have that color that I thought fort lauderdale used to have.



I think the winds have died down considerably from the last few weeks. Calm nights really clear the ocean up and before that the nights were windy. I'm hoping winds stay calm for a while. When they do I think the sargassum stays in the gulf stream and doesn't come ashore as much.




Are summers typically very windy in southeast Florida?

Wind direction as well. When we get a westerly wind (not as common) it flattens the ocean right down. Coming from the east, it picks up the waves which stirs the sand and makes the water cloudy.

Water clarity here has little to do with seaweed and almost everything to do with wind.

[ruski]

Originally Posted by tom77falcons

very nice and seems to have that color that I thought fort lauderdale used to have.



I think the winds have died down considerably from the last few weeks. Calm nights really clear the ocean up and before that the nights were windy. I'm hoping winds stay calm for a while. When they do I think the sargassum stays in the gulf stream and doesn't come ashore as much.




Are summers typically very windy in southeast Florida?

Winters are way windier.

Last summer, there was a bunch of seaweed during the calmest times, so I don't think it was about the wind/storms.

[ruski]

Originally Posted by BNBR

This looks great! I kind of feel like going to the beach now.

On a good day, the ocean at Fort Lauderdale beach looks almost as good.

[tom77falcons]

Originally Posted by BNBR

Wind direction as well. When we get a westerly wind (not as common) it flattens the ocean right down. Coming from the east, it picks up the waves which stirs the sand and makes the water cloudy.

Water clarity here has little to do with seaweed and almost everything to do with wind.

Sorry but you are completely wrong.


As the seaweed in huge quantities lays in the surf zone it breaks down and turns the water brown. It def affects water clarity. Saw it with my own eyes and asked numerous snorklers that were on the beach at oakland park blvd.



this is from the weather channel and clearly shows what happens to the water.





https://weather.com/news/news/2019-0...ribbean-mexico





Sure looks like brown water to me and not from sediment.














And you can see it here from the pic i took at Dania Beach, which is normally more clear than this.

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by tom77falcons

Sorry but you are completely wrong.


As the seaweed in huge quantities lays in the surf zone it breaks down and turns the water brown. It def affects water clarity. Saw it with my own eyes and asked numerous snorklers that were on the beach at oakland park blvd.



this is from the weather channel and clearly shows what happens to the water.





https://weather.com/news/news/2019-0...ribbean-mexico





Sure looks like brown water to me and not from sediment.







And you can see it here from the pic i took at Dania Beach, which is normally more clear than this.

Sorry, but I'm not wrong at all. I've been living here and diving here (including off the beach) for 25 years. I'd like to think I have some idea of what effects water clarity at the beach....

It's the wind.

Yes, when sargassum does hit, of course it browns the water. But that's not every day or year round. It's a beach, it's natural, seaweed happens. Big deal. On a day to day basis, wind (and tide/currents) has almost everything to do with water clarity. Currents as you'll get the run off from the intracoastal which will often effect north and south of the cut differently depending on the current.

It has nothing to do with man made global warming. Seaweed happens. It's been happening forever. It's natural. It's fine. It comes, it goes. Big deal.

And I love how even your own picture, which is showing sargassum at it's absolute worst... also shows crystal clear water and people who simply walked out to the clearer water.

Besides, Ruski posted pictures, current conditions. What more proof do you need? Why are you so argumentative? This is nature. What is your endgame?

We have huge, exposed beaches. Which means it doesn't take a lot of wind to kick up waves and screw up water clarity. That's Florida. It's always been that way. If you want a more "sure thing" then you need to go to some more protected beaches like much of the Bahamas has.

[tom77falcons]

Originally Posted by BNBR

Sorry, but I'm not wrong at all. I've been living here and diving here (including off the beach) for 25 years. I'd like to think I have some idea of what effects water clarity at the beach....

It's the wind.

Yes, when sargassum does hit, of course it browns the water. But that's not every day or year round. It's a beach, it's natural, seaweed happens. Big deal. On a day to day basis, wind (and tide/currents) has almost everything to do with water clarity. Currents as you'll get the run off from the intracoastal which will often effect north and south of the cut differently depending on the current.

It has nothing to do with man made global warming. Seaweed happens. It's been happening forever. It's natural. It's fine. It comes, it goes. Big deal.

And I love how even your own picture, which is showing sargassum at it's absolute worst... also shows crystal clear water and people who simply walked out to the clearer water.

Besides, Ruski posted pictures, current conditions. What more proof do you need? Why are you so argumentative? This is nature. What is your endgame?

We have huge, exposed beaches. Which means it doesn't take a lot of wind to kick up waves and screw up water clarity. That's Florida. It's always been that way. If you want a more "sure thing" then you need to go to some more protected beaches like much of the Bahamas has.

Lol I don't have an endgame. Guess I was just disappointed in the water color/clarity I saw over the Memorial Day weekend. I have been to south Florida many times and been there for very windy days but even windy the water was still blueish. Over the weekend it seemed more brownish olive green. tbh the water reminded me of south carolina if you have ever been there like Hilton Head.

I totally agree with you that on a year round basis it is wind and outflows from rivers at inlets. But I was making the point that the seaweed invasion impacted the water when I was there.

Question: I'm interested in snorkeling at Vista Park Reef. What kind of visibility on a calm day can I expect there?

[tom77falcons]

check this beautiful Fort Lauderdale water out?


Any ideas how often it would look like this, or is this due to winter conditions?





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctNEnHtqlQE&t=47s

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by tom77falcons

Lol I don't have an endgame. Guess I was just disappointed in the water color/clarity I saw over the Memorial Day weekend. I have been to south Florida many times and been there for very windy days but even windy the water was still blueish. Over the weekend it seemed more brownish olive green. tbh the water reminded me of south carolina if you have ever been there like Hilton Head.

I totally agree with you that on a year round basis it is wind and outflows from rivers at inlets. But I was making the point that the seaweed invasion impacted the water when I was there.

Question: I'm interested in snorkeling at Vista Park Reef. What kind of visibility on a calm day can I expect there?

Vista Park is too deep for decent snorkeling. Unless you are free diving. Much better off snorkeling Lauderdale By The Sea just south of the pier. Dive flags are required.

You are right, the seaweed did impact the water when you were there. And sometimes we get pretty decent winds and pretty crappy conditions at the beach. Heck, it happens a lot. There just isn't much you can do about it. We've been getting seaweed here forever.

Summer is usually the calmest. But as I mentioned, this is a tough place to plan a vacation and expect to have perfect water every time. It's too hit or miss. The Bahamas would be a much better spot if that's your thing.

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by tom77falcons

check this beautiful Fort Lauderdale water out?


Any ideas how often it would look like this, or is this due to winter conditions?





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctNEnHtqlQE&t=47s

It just needs to be pretty calm and without seaweed and this is normal. A windy day won't look like this. And as I mentioned in my last post, summer is usually more calm than winter.