Sargasso weed.

[capnsensible]

Early this year around the Canaries. Didn't used to get any. Now it's nearer mid spring and in bigger quantities.

Watch out if you are planning on heading down this way, bigger bunches.....or whatever.....tend to trap plastic and other rubbish to clog engine inlets and propellers.

 

[capnsensible]

Nice sail though.

 

[capnsensible]

This is the scale of the problem. Anyone crossing the Atlantic this year and those in the Carribean, take care!!

Toxic gas, livelihoods under threat and power outages: how a seaweed causes chaos in Caribbean

 

[GHA]

Thought it looked familiar. Tiny bit round Gran Canaria here & there. Nothing to worry about down here at the moment though.

 

[geem]

Lots here in the Caribbean

 

[capnsensible]

Lots here in the Caribbean

Yeah, the article suggests this year will be the worst ever, sadly.....

 

[geem]

Yeah, the article suggests this year will be the worst ever, sadly.....

We leave in a coupe of weeks for your side of the pond. There won't be any fishing

 

[capnsensible]

We leave in a coupe of weeks for your side of the pond. There won't be any fishing

Best stock up on fray bentos pies.

 

[geem]

Best stock up on fray bentos pies.

Maybe roti and rum

 

[capnsensible]

Maybe roti and rum

Now you are talking!!

At least the weed will slow down the jellyfish that always seem to be on the return routes. Keeps the turtles happy though.

 

[GHA]

Lots here in the Caribbean

Seems so , though from a quick google the data so far looks like less than last year >
Sargassum is headed to Florida and the Caribbean. Could it ruin your beach vacation? - The Points Guy
"Based on satellite imagery from a quarterly bulletin provided by The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies at The University of the West Indies, Barbados, there is about 40% less sargassum visible in the Atlantic Ocean than there was at this time last year.

"There is definitely sargassum out there, and it's already starting to make its way into the Eastern Caribbean," Schell said. "So even though the bloom is about 50% smaller than last year, those beaches in the Eastern Caribbean are probably seeing a fair amount of sargassum wash on the shore, though not as much as they had this time last year."
Xie also noted that this year's outlook is more favorable than last.

"So far, this year is better than last year, and this situation is likely to continue in the next few months," Xie said.
"
Glad to have a transom hung rudder, first few times driving straight over a small island of that stuff never feels right...

 

[geem]

Seems so , though from a quick google the data so far looks like less than last year >
Sargassum is headed to Florida and the Caribbean. Could it ruin your beach vacation? - The Points Guy
"Based on satellite imagery from a quarterly bulletin provided by The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies at The University of the West Indies, Barbados, there is about 40% less sargassum visible in the Atlantic Ocean than there was at this time last year.

"There is definitely sargassum out there, and it's already starting to make its way into the Eastern Caribbean," Schell said. "So even though the bloom is about 50% smaller than last year, those beaches in the Eastern Caribbean are probably seeing a fair amount of sargassum wash on the shore, though not as much as they had this time last year."
Xie also noted that this year's outlook is more favorable than last.

"So far, this year is better than last year, and this situation is likely to continue in the next few months," Xie said.
"
Glad to have a transom hung rudder, first few times driving straight over a small island of that stuff never feels right...

Having just been out wingfoiling and playing slalom with the weed, it's not great.
How does the transom hung rudder help? Friends who sailed a twin rudder monohull across the pond had quite an issue with weed on their rudders since the keel offers no protection. Our Wind Pilot self steering is also a problem even though it is centre mounted behind the rudder. Every so often I would push the boat hook down the servo blade to clear it. I think because it's so shallow, it picks up weed where as the main rudder is mounted on a skeg. It doesn't pick up and weed at all

 

[capnsensible]

Having just been out wingfoiling and playing slalom with the weed, it's not great.
How does the transom hung rudder help? Friends who sailed a twin rudder monohull across the pond had quite an issue with weed on their rudders since the keel offers no protection. Our Wind Pilot self steering is also a problem even though it is centre mounted behind the rudder. Every so often I would push the boat hook down the servo blade to clear it. I think because it's so shallow, it picks up weed where as the main rudder is mounted on a skeg. It doesn't pick up and weed at all

I'm a bit of a fan of watt@sea electricity 'provider' but it wouldn't cope with sargassum. Would imagine our old hydrovane would be a bit put off too.

 

[geem]

P

I'm a bit of a fan of watt@sea electricity 'provider' but it wouldn't cope with sargassum. Would imagine our old hydrovane would be a bit put off too.

Our old Duogen can't cope. It won't be getting used on the way back until we are clear of it. I did think of making a blade to install in front of it. A bit like a curved sword. Never got around to it but thought it might help. It may also help with the ever increasing discarded fishing gear we seem to hit recently

 

[GHA]

How does the transom hung rudder help?

Just goes straight over the top of it, if the transom is the back of a long keel, should have added that >>



Can't remember the aries paddle ever picking anything up though doesn't mean it didn't happen, our memories can be highly selective

 

[mjcoon]

P
Our old Duogen can't cope. It won't be getting used on the way back until we are clear of it. I did think of making a blade to install in front of it. A bit like a curved sword. Never got around to it but thought it might help. It may also help with the ever increasing discarded fishing gear we seem to hit recently

Sounds like you could patent it under the name "Scimitar"...

If the weed could be made to sink it would sequester lots of carbon...

 

[capnsensible]

The worst fouling I ever saw was goose barnacles in the Pacific. They even grew on the whirly watt@sea blades. The tenacious little tinkers. Now if they could be trained to eat sargassum......

Ah, then they would probably be candidates for world domination.

 

[capnsensible]

Getting worse....

Sargassum is choking the Caribbean’s white sand beaches, fueling an economic and public health crisis

 

[RupertW]

It looked much better this April/May in the Caribbean than it did last year on the beaches. Last year was awful.

However it’s moved up from absorbing 6 million tons of CO2 every month in 2013 to nearly 30 million tons a month now, so it’s not all bad.

 

[capnsensible]

Mostly though....

Sargassum rots quickly when stranded. Within 48 hours, it begins to degrade, releasing hydrogen sulphide and ammonia. At certain concentrations, these gases become not only toxic to the marine environment but also to human health.

There have been a growing number of reported cases of neurological, digestive and respiratory disorders associated with the noxious gases being emitted. Guadeloupe’s air-quality monitoring institute Gwad’Air has issued red alerts in recent years because of dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide gas being emitted from rotting sargassum.