Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park beach dealing with red tide

Joe Danforth works as a park ranger at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, where a dead loggerhead sea turtle washed ashore Tuesday morning.

Danforth suspects the most likely cause is from red tide, but that has not been confirmed.

After reporting the death to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, he dug a hole to bury the dead turtle.

Danforth says the red tide makes him feel like he has asthma, “Being here on a daily basis… the longer you’re here you’ll kind of experience flu like symptoms, nausea headaches.”

So how do staff get by with red tide nearby? “The whole list, the whole list. we use Sudafed, we use cough drops, and we cover our faces, we wear masks, and we try to get as much fresh air as possible and minimize our exposure,” he said.

Since they feel it, they’re warning beach goers of what they could feel too.

Visitor Pallin Allen learned it firsthand Tuesday, “You definitely feel like slight burning in the lungs and right now that’s all I’ve got, but I think the itchy eyes are coming next.”

Other beachgoers say they can handle it.