Reader reports: Potential “red tide” @ Lincoln Park

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Michale Farrar sent that photo along with one of two WSB reader reports we have received today about this unusual coloration along the northern Lincoln Park shoreline. (Thanks also to Amy for e-mailing about it.) The state Health Department‘s biotoxin page doesn’t include any new “red tide” alerts, nor does its hotline; we’ll let you know if we find out anything from anyone else. UPDATE: In comments, JanS notes a tv story last night about the same thing at Seahurst Park in Burien, and says that report described it as a nontoxic algae bloom.

JanS July 19, 2008 (3:18 pm)

there was a news story on King5 last night about the same thing at Seahurst Park. It’s a kind of algae bloom that is not harmful, can’t remember the name, but it shows up as orange in the water, usually in the spring, but is occurring later because of our lonnngggg winter. The marine biologist that they interviewed said it is basically harmless, though unattractive. I kinda think it’s pretty in a way..unique, for sure.

WSB July 19, 2008 (3:23 pm)

Must be moving up the coast, then. Always difficult to guess/assume what these are because so-called “red tide,” the biotoxin that can be dangerous to humans, isn’t always red or even visible at all.

JanS July 19, 2008 (3:30 pm)

http://www.king5.com/video/?z=y&nvid=264860

Roger July 19, 2008 (3:39 pm)

Here’s a link from King5 website…if I remember right, they showed the story last night and said that it was a “tomato soup” algae bloom, not expected to last long…

http://www.king5.com/video/?z=y&nvid=264860