Something rotten is in the air at the Oceanfront, and the water has taken a brownish-red hue.
Last week’s tropical storm brought an algae bloom to the resort area, possibly from Norfolk’s Lafayette River.
The algae species Margalefidinium polykrikoides is not toxic to humans, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Still, officials advise the public to “avoid discolored or foul smelling water.”
Beachgoers first started to notice the bloom on Thursday, said Tom Gill, chief of the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service.
Old Dominion University researchers began monitoring a similar algae bloom July 20 in Norfolk. It likely moved from the river to the Chesapeake Bay and into the ocean during the storm, producing what is called a “mahogany tide,” according to Margie Mulholland, an ODU professor who specializes in nutrient cycles.
When the bloom is present, the water takes on a rust-colored tint.
Heavy storms often wash out an algae bloom, but not Isaias.
“Despite the storm, it persisted,” Mulholland said. “It helped spread it.”
Now the algae is hugging the coastline and moving south along the beach.
An algae bloom can occur when nutrients from fertilizers and pet waste run off of yards and into waterways.
“When we have a strong rain, anything sitting on the landscape can go into the water,” Mulholland said.
While this algae is not considered dangerous to humans, the bloom’s lingering odor can be offensive. Some people report foul smells in the morning, while others get a waft at sunset.
Sometimes they describe it as smelling fishy or like rotting garbage.
“It was putrid,” said Diana Thomas, who is vacationing in Virginia Beach from Pennsylvania this week. She and her family noticed what she described as a rotten egg smell while eating dinner outside at an Oceanfront restaurant Sunday.
Algae is food for bacteria in the water. It’s unclear if this particular algae itself smells bad, or if the bacteria decomposing it gives off the odor, Mulholland said.
The bloom can be harmful to fish and shellfish because bacteria uses up the oxygen in the water when it breaks down the algae. So far, there haven’t been fish kills from the tide, she said.
Some parents have asked beach lifeguard Megan Neff, 17, about the funky smell. She’s tried turning it into a science lesson for their children.
“People find it very fascinating,” Neff said.
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
