Is there seaweed on Coco Cay?

[Verokaren]

I have been reading about the terrible sargasso seaweed problem in the Caribbean this summer and am wondering if it has affected Coco Cay?  If so, where is the best beach to avoid it?  Thanks from all of you that have visited in the last few weeks!  We are on the August 21st HOS. 

 

[jalves]

It wasn't a problem in April.

[Ret MP]

Yes.  But will the permanent crew/employees of the island remove it before you get there?  Probably!  At least from the beach/sand and the very shallow areas.

Edited August 6, 2022 by Ret MP

[reallyitsmema]

7 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Yes.  But will the permanent crew/employees of the island remove it before you get there?  Probably!  At least from the beach/sand and the very shallow areas.

 

When was this that you saw the sargasso seaweed?

[Bill Miller]

In the Florida Keys we've had some bales of weed wash up, but so far not a lot of the Sargasso variety. Meanwhile in Key West.........

[BirdTravels]

Nicely groomed sand everywhere. No seaweed. 

 

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

When was this that you saw the sargasso seaweed?

It's been a lot of years since I lived in South Florida (I grew up there, Dania, FL) within a mile or two of the beach.  And I've visited there almost every year but I'm not a beach goer anymore.  So, I haven't actually seen the seaweed in a lot of years.  But, I know it's there, in the Caribbean.

 

July 5, 2022:

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/sargasum-seaweed-washing-ashore-beach-mess/

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Nicely groomed sand everywhere. No seaweed. 

 

They've nicely groomed the beach, for sure!

[Sea Viewer]

15 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

It's been a lot of years since I lived in South Florida (I grew up there, Dania, FL) within a mile or two of the beach.  And I've visited there almost every year but I'm not a beach goer anymore.  So, I haven't actually seen the seaweed in a lot of years.  But, I know it's there, in the Caribbean.

 

July 5, 2022:

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/sargasum-seaweed-washing-ashore-beach-mess/

I live in Hollywood FL and there is more weeds than in previous years. The city is doing a pretty good job of keeping it under control except when high tide is in the morning hours and it's difficult for the tractors to groom the beach, hasn't stopped people swimming though.

Edited August 7, 2022 by Sea Viewer

[reallyitsmema]

8 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

What the hell is your problem?  Yes, I said Yes and that was after I researched the seaweed the species, Sargassum, and if you do the same on google or DuckDuckGo you'd find that it is a problem in the Caribbean, to include the Bahamas and South Florida.  So, I don't have to see it to know it's there.  I don't see a lot of thing but know they are there.  It's the Ocean, I know there are sharks, yes, even around the Bahamas, I know there coral reefs and I know there is seaweed, and I don't see them everyday or even in a long time.  BTW, I used to scuba dive and Fish in the Bahamas and off of Dania Beach when I was a kid growing up and as a young adult.  

Do I know if they removed the seaweed yesterday morning, this morning, or last week?  No.  Seaweed doesn't wash ashore everyday.  It depends on the movement of the gulf, tides, and winds.  But, if it washes up on the beach on CoCoCay beach, as evidenced by the pictures posted, they remove it.

 

And look at the pictures that @BirdTravelsposted.  It is obvious to anybody with a functioning eye and half a brain, the beach(s) have been groomed.  

 

I don't get it.  You want to start something over seaweed and its removal?  Really?

 

However, like I've said in a few other posts, I don't turn the other cheek.

 

There are beaches that need to be plowed because of all the stinky seaweed.  The OP and those of us that are heading to Coco Cay in the near future are asking for information from those who have been there recently.  No one is starting anything, it was a simple question.  I will take it you haven't been there recently.  

[PompeySailor]

Was at CocoCay this Wednesday just gone, didn’t see any seaweed in the sea or on the beaches.

Plenty of kelp in the ocean though 

YMMV

 

Happy Days!

[Ret MP]

3 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

There are beaches that need to be plowed because of all the stinky seaweed.  The OP and those of us that are heading to Coco Cay in the near future are asking for information from those who have been there recently.  No one is starting anything, it was a simple question.  I will take it you haven't been there recently.  

No, see my response above!  I don't need to see something to know it exists.  And do a little research for your self, if you doubt someone and then you'd know too.  

 

BTW, my response to the OP was to reassure her that it will be okay, they clean it up before she gets there.  As evidenced by the pictures posted.  Now you know as well.  

 

[reallyitsmema]

4 minutes ago, PompeySailor said:

Was at CocoCay this Wednesday just gone, didn’t see any seaweed in the sea or on the beaches.

Plenty of kelp in the ocean though 

YMMV

 

Happy Days!

 

Thank you.  Good to know that it isn't bad right now.  I knew someone had to be there recently. 🙂 

[Ret MP]

It doesn't matter if someone has been there recently or not.  Seaweed doesn't have a daily schedule of arrival.  The beaches could be totally clear of any seaweed this morning and be inundated with it this after noon or tomorrow.  It all depends on where the seaweed is out in the open ocean, the wind direction, the Gulf Stream, and the tides.  

 

What's important, it's going to be cleaned up, at least before passengers arrive.  Like I originally said, PROBABLY.  If Management of the island is worth a grain of salt, that's what they would do.  

 

But, go ahead and have a false sense of security by knowing that it was clear last Wednesday.  To everyone else, just be confident that Royal will have the beach clean by the time you get there.  Amazing!

 

[reallyitsmema]

4 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

It doesn't matter if someone has been there recently or not.  Seaweed doesn't have a daily schedule of arrival.  The beaches could be totally clear of any seaweed this morning and be inundated with it this after noon or tomorrow.  It all depends on where the seaweed is out in the open ocean, the wind direction, the Gulf Stream, and the tides.  

 

What's important, it's going to be cleaned up, at least before passengers arrive.  Like I originally said, PROBABLY.  If Management of the island is worth a grain of salt, that's what they would do.  

 

But, go ahead and have a false sense of security by knowing that it was clear last Wednesday.  To everyone else, just be confident that Royal will have the beach clean by the time you get there.  Amazing!

 

 

What was the name you used to post under in this forum?  Your "style" seems extremely familiar.

[Ret MP]

2 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

What was the name you used to post under in this forum?  Your "style" seems extremely familiar.

I've only used one name in here, Ret MP.  Nothing else and I don't have more than one account. 

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by Ret MP

[ONECRUISER]

3 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

In the Florida Keys we've had some bales of weed wash up, but so far not a lot of the Sargasso variety. Meanwhile in Key West.........

Funny. Couple decades ago was on a Florida Vacation with my Family. We were just getting in water and I came across a white brick that had washed ashore. Was one Souvenir I didn't take home, or even touch...

[Cherries Jubilee]

I was there yesterday and there really wasn’t any. It was absolutely stunning.

[Ret MP]

10 hours ago, Cherries Jubilee said:

I was there yesterday and there really wasn’t any. It was absolutely stunning.

Great to hear.  That means none came ashore since the last time they had some and got groomed OR it was groomed the morning before you got there.  Sounds like Royal on CoCoCay is doing their job.  👍

[twangster]

I was last there on July 24.  Didn't see or smell anything at CocoCay.

 

A part of the North Atlantic ocean is called the Sargasso Sea for a reason.  

 

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sargassosea.html

 

The first accounts of Sargassum in the Atlantic date back to Christopher Columbus in 1492.  

 

This is nothing new, it's just being reported lately for some reason.  Must be a slow news day.  

 

Wikipedia:

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by twangster

[Ret MP]

29 minutes ago, twangster said:

I was last there on July 24.  Didn't see or smell anything at CocoCay.

 

A part of the North Atlantic ocean is called the Sargasso Sea for a reason.  

 

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sargassosea.html

 

The first accounts of Sargassum in the Atlantic date back to Christopher Columbus in 1492.  

 

This is nothing new, it's just being reported lately for some reason.  Must be a slow news day.  

 

Wikipedia:

 

As stated earlier, I grew up on the Southeast Coast of Florida.  My mom used to take us to the beach almost everyday before I was school age and on the weekends when we were in school.  I remember there being a whole lot of seaweed, at lot.  Then, not too long ago, maybe a couple of decades ago, when I'd go home, on leave from the Army and shortly after I retired from the Army, my buddy and I would go out fishing for Dolphin (Mahi Mahi) which survives under the seaweed patches and we'd troll around the seaweed patches.  Strange, it was hard to find seaweed patches.  My buddy said that for years the seaweed was disappearing, for some reason.  He said, possibly, that the seaweed was being harvested for food purposes in the southern Caribbean.  I don't know if it was/is the same species as we are discussing here, now.  It seems that the seaweed is making a huge come-back though.  That's good news for the Dolphin fisherman and wildlife in general.  Seaweed is a very important part of the Eco structure.  I hope it keeps on coming back AND I hope hospitality entities continue to clean it up from their beaches.  

Edited August 7, 2022 by Ret MP

[Ret MP]

  On 8/3/2022 at 1:03 PM, pattycake08 said:

I was on the 7/25/2022 Inde of Seas sailing to Bahamas.  Our Stop at Perfect Day left me a little disappointed. I had been hearing over the last 2 years how they were building it up, but I was not impressed. I found out as we were leaving Perfect Day that there are actually 3 beaches on Perfect Day, that I was unaware of, Chill Island, South Beach & Harbor Beach.  We stayed on Chill Island which was full of seaweed & the ocean floor was very rocky.  Should we have stayed perhaps at either South Beach or Harbor Beach for a better Experience?  Also, was their a community free pool at Perfect Day that we could have went to, I didn't see one?

There is no excuse for the island management not removing the debris/grooming the beaches, period.  

 

One more example of me not seeing the seaweed but I know it's there!

[Merion_Mom]

My only real encounter with the stuff is at Costa Maya, where it is a known hazard.

[msproles]

Just got off the Harmony today and our last day (yesterday) was at Coco Cay.  I saw almost no seaweed where we were, which was Chill Island.

[BirdTravels]

On 8/6/2022 at 9:36 PM, Ret MP said:

It doesn't matter if someone has been there recently or not.  Seaweed doesn't have a daily schedule of arrival.  The beaches could be totally clear of any seaweed this morning and be inundated with it this after noon or tomorrow.  It all depends on where the seaweed is out in the open ocean, the wind direction, the Gulf Stream, and the tides.  

You seem to know a lot about CocoCay. When was the last time you were there and how many times have you been there recently. I have been there 5 times since the restart in June of 2021, so I can report facts from my 5 times there.