Oregon Coast Photos of the Week: Weird Brown Foam
Published
04/23/2010
(Seaside, Oregon) – Seaside has recently been the recipient of loads of strange brown foam. The situation still lingers there, where it shows up fairly often, but it’s also been seen down on the central coast this month.
It is not pollution or some kind of oil spill. In fact, the culprit is a sign of a very healthy ocean: tiny, microscopic creatures called diatoms, which are a form of phytoplankton.
These shots, taken in fairly warm, sunny conditions on Thursday in Seaside, are of the area near “the cove” – which is the section of beach that hugs Tillamook Head. Currents cause the brown foam to show up more in some spots. Curiously, a fairly small patch of ocean (about 100 feet of length down the beach) had the really brown foam. North and south of that spot it was not nearly as pronounced.
Earlier this month, it started appearing along Lincoln County beaches, like Seal Rock, Newport and Depoe Bay, and this caused some residents to call the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) out of concern.
The DEQ office in Salem collected a sample, and analysis under a microscope confirmed it was indeed only this form of phytoplankton.
In Seaside, tourists will often flood local businesses and tourism entities with questions about the brown stuff, also fearful it’s pollution of some kind.
Diatoms are microscopic plant-like creatures that are actually responsible for most all sea foam you see on the beaches. They are about 100 micrometers long – or 1000 times the size of a virus. Still, they’re not visible with the naked eye.
The brown stuff often changes place – it moves around. It’s been seen as far south as Silver Point near Cannon Beach on one day this week, then the next day it was gone.
In this spot in Seaside on this day, it was causing really dark patches along with very dark, brown chunks of foam. These blobs of brown foam floated lazily along the waves. It also has the propensity to create dark, oily-looking patches in the sand as well as large tracts of brown foam and goo along the beaches.
More about the brown foam....
More About Oregon Coast lodging.....
LATEST OREGON COAST NEWS STORIES
New Parking at N. Oregon Coast's Cape Kiwanda Opens After Main Lot Shut Down
86 new spots opened across the street and more nearby
Swarm of Ten Quakes Off S. Oregon Coast, 7 Within Minutes - UPDATE
It started Monday and lasted through Wed morning near Bandon, Port Orford. Marine sciences, geology
Hatfield Marine Science Center's Marine Science Day Returns to Newport, Orego...
Science fair and open house on Saturday, April 13
Astoria, Oregon's Wine Competition Wraps Up, Announces Winners
Nearly 100 wines submitted by 24 wineries
Velella Like a Thick Carpet at Some Oregon Coast Spots
At least one spot near Newport is report large masses. Marine sciences
Oregon History Made as Coastal Lighthouse Near Florence Celebrates 130 Years
Saturday means tours of the BnB, raffles, live music. Florence events, Newport events
Cuteness on Parade: Gleneden Beach Pet Parade March 30 Benefits Oregon Coast ...
Gleneden Beach Pet Party and Parade near Lincoln City. Lincoln City events
South Oregon Coast Spring Break: from Whales to Deserted Beaches
Maybe a new spring break tradition could be in order? Check out these beach vibes. South coast events
Herbert's 'Dune' Not All Sci-Fi: Real Science Behind Oregon Place That Inspir...
OSU has been researching here for decades; Dunes also in trouble. Florence, south Oregon coast
Need More Space Action? Penumbral Eclipse March 24 Above Oregon / Washington ...
Penumbral lunar eclipse happens on March 24 - 25. Depoe Bay events, Weather
Mobility Chair Events Coming to Washington Coast, S. Oregon Coast; Newport Ce...
Brookings in March, Westport in April, Newport March 23. Brookings events, Washington coast events
Bizarre 'Millennium Falcon' / Comet Pons-Brooks in Oregon Coast, Washington C...
Also called the 'Devil Comet' at times, it will likely get brighter
Possible New Killer Whale Discoveries Off of Oregon Coast Waters
A subpopulation that preys differently off Oregon, California. Marine sciences
|
Back to Oregon Coast Beach Connection
Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net |
|
OREGON
COAST VIRTUAL TOURS
Explore Every Beach Spot |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unusual
Travel Articles TravelParanormal.com allows
you to submit your own creepy tale or debunk one - or see up-to-the-minute
news headlines about travel and the paranormal.
News
Headlines from All Over Oregon Need to scan Oregon headlines?
Constantly updated news from all over Oregon: a comprehensive, up-to-the-minute
display of news headlines from a variety of media
Follow us on
|
|