Beach stench tied to bioluminescent waves: LAT
It turns out those beautiful blue waves on the Southern California coast are a double-edged sword. Yes, bioluminescence can be pretty to look at, but it's also the source of the terrible stench on many beaches in the area. As the Los Angeles Times notes, the recent "red tide" that has made the waves glow [...]
It turns out those beautiful blue waves on the Southern California coast are a double-edged sword.
Yes, bioluminescence can be pretty to look at, but it's also the source of the terrible stench on many beaches in the area.
As the Los Angeles Times notes, the recent "red tide" that has made the waves glow electric blue at night consists of microscopic algae, and those organisms are nearing the end of their lives.
"Now this bioluminescent algae is dying and releasing hydrogen sulfide gas, which causes a rotten egg smell," Laura Rink, associate director at Heal the Bay Aquarium in Santa Monica, told the Times.
Bioluminescence at Torrey Pines Beach. (Photo: Mark Girardeau) 
A large algae bloom was spotted around the Santa Monica Pier, extending for miles down the coastline. Oct. 22, 2024. (Sky5) 
A large algae bloom was spotted around the Santa Monica Pier, extending for miles down the coastline. Oct. 22, 2024. (Sky5) 
A large algae bloom was spotted around the Santa Monica Pier, extending for miles down the coastline. Oct. 22, 2024. (Sky5) 
A large algae bloom was spotted around the Santa Monica Pier, extending for miles down the coastline. Oct. 22, 2024. (Sky5)
In addition to the hydrogen sulfide gas, the stench is augmented by bacteria that feed on decomposing algae, consuming oxygen and "creating unbreathable patches of ocean known as dead zones, which can cause fish to die and worsen the smell."
As a result, that stench has been detected on popular beaches in Venice, Santa Monica and elsewhere, and "reports of the smell have stretched all the way into Mid-City," according to the Times.
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