Beachgoers astounded by turquoise water off LI’s South Shore
Dr. Christopher Gobler classified the bloom for now as a "neutral to good" thing because it's a natural phenomenon and can feed the food web.
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The ocean water off Long Island's South Shore has been a turquoise color lately, and experts say that's due to a bloom of phytoplankton.
Dr. Christopher Gobler of Stony Brook University said it's a result of "upwelling." He said beginning a few weeks ago, there were persistent southwest winds that brought deep, nutrient-filled water up to the surface. That led to the growth of algae; in this case, what's known as "coccolithophores."
Gobler classified the bloom for now as a "neutral to good" thing because it's a natural phenomenon and can feed the food web. He did say, however, that you can have too much of a good thing and that if this were to become more intense down the road, it could lead to lower oxygen levels in the water.
Beachgoers marveled at the lighter-colored water. One person compared it to the water off Florida's coast.
