Florida's Slime Coast Is a State-Sponsored Disaster

The smell hit me as soon as I opened my car door—like rancid milk mixed with dog shit. I gasped for breath as humid air descended, filling my pores with the putrid odor.

Florida's Slime Coast Is a State-Sponsored Disaster Bhcyozveetfxkfsnmbki

Florida's Slime Coast Is a State-Sponsored Disaster Bhcyozveetfxkfsnmbki

“It’s been like this for three weeks,” Mary, the unhappy attendant at the deserted Central Marine boat dealer told me. “Last week it smelled like a dead animal. Today—I don’t even know.”

“Be careful out there,” she added as I headed off to the docks.

The reason for her warning was soon clear: at the water’s edge, the stench of fly-covered slime was almost impossible to bear. Eyes and lungs searing, I walked up and down the harbor snapping photos. The taste of the air was as bad as the smell.
This was my warm welcome to Stuart, Florida, whose St. Lucie estuary is currently suffocating under a vast, nutrient-fueled algae bloom. The St. Lucie is no stranger to algae, but this summer’s slime is fouler and more widespread than anything locals have ever seen.
Not only does the water look and smell like a sewer, it’s potentially a serious health hazard. The Department of Environmental Protection has begun detecting microcystins, cyanobacteria toxins which if ingested can cause nausea, vomiting, and liver failure. Locals exposed to the rank odor of “guacamole thick” algae mats have complained of rashes, eye and skin irritation. Tourism is taking a nosedive.

http://gizmodo.com/floridas-slime-coast-is-a-state-sponsored-disaster-1783630980

Florida's Slime Coast Is a State-Sponsored Disaster

Florida's Slime Coast Is a State-Sponsored Disaster

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