I am now home after driving down to Treasure Island at 7.30 a.m. I arrived early for the Voyager board meeting, so walked the boardwalk for half an hour. The air smelled fresh, and there was a nice breeze.
We had an excellent meeting, and it was still early enough for me to drive to the Voyager, park up, use sunscreen, and put on my beach shoes. I then went down to the water’s edge, and it was just perfection. I walked the beach for an hour before heading home. There was no red tide smell, I didn’t cough, and the water was clear. I did encounter a few tiny dead fish, but it didn’t stop the people swimming in the gulf, and the kids surfing, and playing in the water.
My walking was from the Voyager, which is next to the Marriot/Residence Inn, and continued up the beach to the small fishing pier on the beach side of the John’s Pass channel/with the bridge above it. The closer I got to it I could smell the red tide. For the first time ever no one was fishing on the pier. I didn’t even go on it, because I had to leave the area before my eyes started to run, and that annoying cough.
A couple of minutes later when I was walking back the smell had completely gone. I hope this helps anyone that is planning a trip to the area.
beautiful clear water 
people swimming 
people chatting in the water
Every unit of the Voyager is occupied for the foreseeable future. It looks like people are having staycations.
We’re still avoiding the beach with the red tide. We’ve got some respiratory issues/allergies so I don’t want to aggravate them. Bummed as our friends are visiting from Chicago, and there was red tide in Clearwater where they stayed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What is red tide? Never heard of it before.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad someone else asked about the red tide, is it a legacy from an oil spill?
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s a shame. There were toddlers sitting in the water. No smell what so ever.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The smell isn’t there but the waters have all tested for blooms.🥲
LikeLike
We get it most years, and mainly after a storm. It brings it in.
LikeLike
Sorry still don’t understand lol. It brings what in?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks fantastic ⛱
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahh, lovely!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That beach looks gorgeous! I’ve never heard of the red tide before.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is a harmful algae bloom that occurs when colonies of algae grow out of control. If you go to Wikipedia, they discuss the runoff containing fertilizer, sewage, and life stock waste so you can imagine the smell of red tide.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my goodness! I grew up in a small town with a beach. Strange I never hear of this. Thank you for explaining.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is pretty much just a Gulf thing. Warm shallow water year round kind of thing. This year they have so far had to haul in several thousands tons of dead fish. It is mostly in Sarasota working it’s way to the St. Pete Beaches.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Nope. It is an annual thing. This one is a little more intense because our recent Tropical Storm pushed it back inward. Usually it drifts away from shore after a week/10 days.
LikeLiked by 3 people
[…] Perfect beach weather. […]
LikeLiked by 1 person
Silly question perhaps but what is it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
A bloom/algae that develops. All you can see is a brownish color instead of clear water, and dead fish.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It improves and then comes back right now at some beaches.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indian Rocks, and Madeira beach were hit with it.
LikeLike
Unfortunately the gulf (west) coast of Florida gets it at some point in the summer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the explanation.
LikeLike
A nasty toxic algae bloom that kills everything in it’s path. Even robs the water of oxygen. The Algae releases chemicals that turns the water red.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Got a friend that lives on Redington Beach. He says not many dead fish yet, but the smell is crippling.
LikeLike
Sound quite nasty.
LikeLiked by 1 person