Surfers left coughing and with sore eyes after mystery foam washes up on beach – The Mirror US

Two beaches in an Australian state were shut down after dead fish and a peculiar off-white foam washed ashore, leaving surfers feeling sick, officials reported on Tuesday.
The South Australian Environment Protection Authority's principal scientific officer, Sam Gaylard, suggested that unusual weather conditions might have triggered a microalgal bloom, which could be responsible for the illness of humans and marine life, as well as the foam covering hundreds of yards of coastline.
Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corp., Gaylard expressed his concern, stating, "It is very concerning," and "It is unusual at this scale. At this time of year, when the weather conditions allow, we do occasionally get isolated blooms, but something of this scale is definitely a little bit unusual."
Waitpinga Beach and neighboring Parsons Beach, both located south of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia state, have been closed to the public since Monday due to a "fish mortality event in the area," according to a statement from the Department for Environment and Water.
The department assured that "The beaches will be re-opened as soon as possible,".
Reports indicate that dozens of dead fish have been washed ashore.
Local surfer Anthony Rowland, who surfed at Waitpinga on Saturday, said that surfers have been complaining since the weekend about experiencing sore eyes, sore throats, and coughing after coming into contact with the water.
"While we were out there, we started coughing," shared Rowland, who was surfing at the time with friends. He was taken aback by the flood of responses after sharing his experience online.
"Lots of people reached out – so many people have said they're had exactly the same symptoms," he mentioned.
Marine scientists are investigating mysterious foam linked to surfers' coughing fits by collecting water samples, explained Gaylard, with results expected later in the week.
Gaylard speculated that an algal bloom potentially triggered by recent weather could be at fault for the distressing phenomenon.
Since a swell rolled in on Sunday, the churning waters might disperse the microalgae but also whip up more foam, according to Gaylard.
"At the moment, we're not sure how long this will last," stated Gaylard about the unsettling occurrence.

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