ST. PETE BEACH — The stench couldn't be detected from the picturesque scene poolside of the Sirata Beach Resort. But once people stepped out toward the ocean, away from the hotel, the odor of dead fish baking in the late-morning sun was undeniable.
Thousands of specimens dotted the entire coastline along St. Pete Beach, a stretch of sand and hotels most associated with ranking year in and year out as the one of the best destinations in the country by prestigious travel publications.
But a walk up and down the famous coastline on Tuesday was more akin to a weird Halloween horror show. People swam in water where the occasional dead fish floated by on the surface. Taking that mind-clearing stroll along the shoreline involved tiptoeing around dead marine life. Some tourists simply made the best of it all, seemingly ignoring the environmental fallout around them.
The only hotel appearing to take command of its beachfront was the TradeWinds Resort, where a lone employee labored to fill a third bucket of dead fish in an attempt to give guests a presentable beach.
Among the victims: a large sea turtle lying dead on the beach as the waves lapped up against its chin. Vacationers walked up confused as they approached, then recoiled as they realized what they were seeing.
"That's really sad," said Frank Houston, 62, of St. Louis, who stood alongside his wife gazing down at one of Florida's most recognized marine life symbols. "We're not big ocean people, but we're not going in that water after seeing this beach. If we had known beforehand, we probably wouldn't have come."
Their bad timing is likely due to Red Tide, said a spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It has already been confirmed off Manatee County. No Red Tide declaration has been made for Pinellas County yet, even though half of the municipalities along the Gulf Boulevard corridor have reported fish kills.
Small, scattered colonies of the microscopic algae Karenia brevis live in the Gulf of Mexico all year long. Usually it causes no problems.
But every now and then, the algae population offshore explodes into something called a bloom, in which the algae multiplies rapidly and spreads. The expanding bloom stains the water a rusty color.
The big blooms release toxins deadly to marine creatures.
Those blooms can last for months, fueled sometimes by nitrate pollution flowing from over-fertilized yards, leaky septic tanks and other sources.
Treasure Island City Manager Reid Silverboard said they were preparing to clean the beaches.
"It hasn't done any damage yet inside the canals, but in the south part along Boca Ciega Bay and Sunset Park there's some issues to deal with,'' he said.
Silverboard said if and when fish and wildlife officials declare a Red Tide event, the city will initiate its "Code Red" system, which notifies residents of the situation via text message, email and phone calls.
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Explore all your optionsFWC spokeswoman Kelly Richmond had some good news for tourists, saying it was fine for people to go swimming.
"However, it can cause skin irritation," Richmond said. "And it can cause respiratory issues, especially for people with COPD or asthma. If anyone experiences respiratory problems or irritation, remove yourself from the area."
She said the agency posts updates on Wednesdays and Fridays to their website. Asked if this fish kill was abnormally large, she responded by saying Red Tides occur routinely every year along the Gulf Coast of Florida.
"It's a little concerning," said Ryan Fife, 29, of Oklahoma City, who was walking along St. Pete Beach. "It seems like they could manage it better. Maybe they can do something to stop it. And clean the beach up or something.''
Information from Times files was used in this report.