Possible Red Tide in Gulf of Mexico

On Sunday, about 12 to 15 miles Southwest of Sanibel, a team of researchers found reddish water.

The researchers are finishing up a week-long study of water conditions after Hurricane Ian.

Researchers went all around the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, starting in Tampa and working their way all the way down to Marco Island.

Visually, the water has fluctuated a bit but, for the most part, it has stayed the same. The water looks green, murky, and dirty looking from both above the surface and from divers looking at the water while submerged.

On Sunday one of the researchers noticed that the water appeared different in color.

Doctor James Douglass went and got Doctor Eric Milbrandt to let him know he has to see the water. After Milbrandt inspected the water he said it was a color that he associates with red tide blooms.

Researchers grabbed a water sample to test and verify if it was related to a red tide bloom.

Researchers put the water into a filter and as it runs down funnels to the bottom where particulates are collected in a filtered piece of paper.

Dr. Milbrandt explained to WINK News the color of the filter paper was nothing like he had ever seen so far on the trip, which was greenish-orange in appearance.

Dr. Milbrandt explained he won’t be able to precisely identify what was collected from the water samples until he gets to see it under a microscope.