The suitcases are packed, and Spring Break has finally arrived!
The only thing that can ruin your beach vacation plans now are rainy forecasts and the sight of seaweed floating just offshore.
The surge of Sargassum Seaweed on the sand is a growing problem at certain beaches in the US and the Caribbean.
Experts think it is happening because the water in these areas is getting warmer and ocean currents are changing.
It’s more of a problem in Florida, Cancun and parts of the Myan Riveria. The water is calmer in these locations and allows for more seaweed to grow. It’s not an issue in other areas of Mexico, like Cabo, because the water there is already rough and doesn’t allow as much seaweed to root.
Typically, the seaweed becomes more of a problem in spring and summer, when the already warm temperatures get even warmer.
Anyone who’s ended up at a beach with dead seaweed already knows it’s brown, floats on the water, and it smells horrible.
The good news is that there are some instances where the issue will change daily. In other areas surges of seaweed will keep the beach closed for weeks or months at a time.
Higher end hotels employ staff to try to monitor the issue and clean the beach daily. But, sometimes there is simply too much seaweed.
I stayed at a Playa Del Carmen resort in 2021. There was constant machinery working to try to limit the amount of seaweed, but the workers were just overwhelmed with the issue.
So, what’s the answer?
Solving the seaweed problem is a complex and costly issue that countries are working to tackle.
Tulum actually announced a “Tulum Against Sargassum” plan. The region is using floating barriers to catch and divert as much of the seaweed as possible so it never reaches the area’s popular beaches.
For travelers who don’t want to have a hard-earned vacation ruined have the option of skipping certain areas, but it’s also a constantly changing issue.
A better option could be to check out the seaweed forecast for the area you want to visit. Sargassummonitoring.com provides daily updates about conditions at hundreds of beaches. It relies on the public to help collect information and has reports from hundreds of beaches and areas along a number of coasts.
The free site also explores the issue, why it’s happening, and what the future may hold.
Check the site out and see what you think!