toxic algae

A trip to the beach (on two wheels) yielded the a strange and unsightly water condition that seriously discouraged swimming. Each wave crest was green. Violent, acid green. Green ripples were left on the sand where the water had receded. Flotillas of the same green material abounded on the water, looking like rising yeast which had met an unpleasant food coloring. A lifeguard told us that this presence was an unusual amount of algae in the water due to warmer than average water temperature. A look at the Ocean Advisory and Beach Recreational Health page yields the information that Venice Beach's water quality grade for this month is indeed a C, with a symbol indicating that this does not meet acceptable standard.

Big suprise. While the lifeguard on duty was quick to assure that this was nothing to be worried about, my scalp and skin felt coated in slime after my hasty exit from the water, and I can't help but think that when someone has algae in their pool, they don't take a swim in it.