June Grass Update for Walton County 8/11/13:AM
June grass update for Walton County 8/11/13:AM
5 on the June Grass Grossness Index
It’s a very pretty day to be at the beach even if the water isn’t so pretty. The June Grass looks more spinach than broccoli right now, so hopefully that means it’s dying and will go away soon. I think it’s doing the clumping thing, so if you walk a few hundred yards up or down the beach you may be able to avoid it somewhat. The beach water quality reports are good for both Walton and Okaloosa county, except Clement Taylor Park, which is bayside in Destin. When I drove across the pass earlier this week both the pass and Crab Island had finally gone back to blue water instead of brown. However, when I was driving east on 98 on Okaloosa Island I could smell the rotting June Grass from the road. Yuck.
While it’s not ideal swimming conditions right now, there are some biggish boogie board waves coming in over the first two sandbars (there are three right now: 2 close to the beach and the usual “2nd sandbar” out further). These waves aren’t quite big enough for regular surfing but might be an interesting challenge for more advanced SUP. There are also a lot of shorebirds around for the birdwatchers to enjoy. I didn’t see any surf fishers out yet today. As kids go back to school tourist season seems to be winding down. I’ve been quite pleased with the pleasantness of visitors we’ve had on the beaches this year: nobody was so annoying that I left the beach (which has happened often in years past).
In the future there will not be June Grass Reports on red flag days because I don’t encourage anybody to go in the water on a red flag.
At the time this report was made the beach flags were yellow, but check them again before you head to the beach. In Walton County you can text “beachflag” to 67463*
I would love it if you would share your personal June Grass and beach condition reports on the Most Recent June Grass Sightings & Beach Conditions page, to further improve the June Grass Report. It would also e great if you left a comment to tell me where you’re traveling from to visit the beach!
If there isn’t a current June Grass report up on this site I suggest checking the link to local beach cams on the left side of this page. They can often give you an idea of what the water is like. It is also important to “Know Before You Go” and check local beach flags. They are updated twice daily at 9:30am and 1:30pm.
PLEASE ENJOY THE BEACH RESPONSIBLY!
Web Cam Educated Guess
I just pulled this screen shot off the Seagrove Beach Sky Cam.
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Check out how the June grass is eddying along the sandbars. I generally look at the cams once a day or so. From what I can tell (no money-back guarantee) the west end of South Walton to Destin Pass is relatively clear with some patches of June Grass. There are lots of folks enjoying the water at Sandestin and Pompano Joe’s. From what I’ve been hearing, and seen myself, Henderson Beach and Destin are pretty clear too. Folks are reporting that Okaloosa Island to Navarre are swamped with slimy smelly June Grass. The east end of 30-A including Rosemary and Seagrove look pretty grassy on the cams. I’ve not been hearing good things about PC/PCB, but I haven’t gotten a recent update. These are my best estimates until I go have a look at the water myself. At least it isn’t raining!
I personally wouldn’t bother fishing or swimming where it’s really thick with June grass and I don’t know anything about the bacteria levels in the water even for places that look clear. In moderately grassy areas I’d say fishing might work and if you are paddling it seems like you can get away from the grass, but be careful! I wouldn’t swim but I’m picky.
June Grass Update for East Pass Destin 8/3/13:AM
June grass update for Destin 8/3/13:AM
0 on the June Grass Grossness Index
I went out to the jetties this morning to dive on the high tide and was pleasantly surprised to find clear, although tannic, water! The only grass I saw was some torn up sea grass. There were a lot of fish. There were also 8 “cattle boats” of SCUBAs, snorkelers, SNUBAs but it really wasn’t crowded. There are life guards down there now!
In the future there will not be June Grass Reports on red flag days because I don’t encourage anybody to go in the water on a red flag.
At the time this report was made the beach flags were yellow, but check them again before you head to the beach. In Walton County you can text “beachflag” to 67463*
I would love it if you would share your personal June Grass and beach condition reports on the Most Recent June Grass Sightings & Beach Conditions page, to further improve the June Grass Report. It would also e great if you left a comment to tell me where you’re traveling from to visit the beach!
If there isn’t a current June Grass report up on this site I suggest checking the link to local beach cams on the left side of this page. They can often give you an idea of what the water is like. It is also important to “Know Before You Go” and check local beach flags. They are updated twice daily at 9:30am and 1:30pm.
PLEASE ENJOY THE BEACH RESPONSIBLY!
June Grass Update for Walton County 8/2/13:PM
June grass update for Walton County 8/2/13:PM
3 on the June Grass Grossness Index
I had a look around at the beach. I didn’t stick my feet in since there are bacterial advisories at 3 nearby beaches. The water looks pretty gross close to shore then appears to clear up further out, as people have been telling me all week.
In the future there will not be June Grass Reports on red flag days because I don’t encourage anybody to go in the water on a red flag.
At the time this report was made the beach flags were yellow, but check them again before you head to the beach. In Walton County you can text “beachflag” to 67463*
I would love it if you would share your personal June Grass and beach condition reports on the Most Recent June Grass Sightings & Beach Conditions page, to further improve the June Grass Report. It would also e great if you left a comment to tell me where you’re traveling from to visit the beach!
If there isn’t a current June Grass report up on this site I suggest checking the link to local beach cams on the left side of this page. They can often give you an idea of what the water is like. It is also important to “Know Before You Go” and check local beach flags. They are updated twice daily at 9:30am and 1:30pm.
PLEASE ENJOY THE BEACH RESPONSIBLY!
Panhandle June Grass
I haven’t been to the beach yet today since there was lightening when I got up this morning. Maybe I’ll go down later.
I really, REALLY appreciate how much participation there has been on the Most Current June Grass Sightings Page! This really improves the June Grass Report since it gives real-time information from places I don’t usually go. Thank you!
Here’s my take on the current June Grass situation:
We’ve been having unprecedented rain in the Southeast for a month.
All the rivers flowing into the Gulf are full of nutrients, basically fertilizer for the June Grass blooms. Yuck.
Most of the time the June Grass seems to come from the western Gulf and the Gulf Stream is a clockwise current (sometimes the June Grass comes from all directions due to the fickleness of winds & tides).
The worst June Grass reports, for the last week or so, have been coming from the west, especially west of East Pass.
It is my opinion that until the last couple of days the massive water flow going out East Pass from Choctawhatchee Bay has been keeping the close-to-shore June Grass blooms off Destin Gulf-side and South Walton beaches, while it piles up from Okaloosa Island to Navarre. Even if the water from the Pass is blowing the June Grass out into the Gulf it’s going to end up over on Destin and South Walton beaches eventually because of the Gulf Stream. I think the June Grass may be starting to show up on the more eastern beaches. The water in South Walton doesn’t look that wonderful either: all the coastal dune lakes are outflowing so the near-shore water looks pretty nasty. I was told yesterday that it looked decent once you got out a few yards from the beach but the wind and waves were pushing the particulates up closest to the shore where there is a bit of a sandbar at the moment (wait five minutes, that will change).
I personally don’t want to go swimming. I’m strongly considering SUP if the wind and waves are cooperative.
In the meantime here is a nice local video of a lovely shark (no I am not being sarcastic, I like sharks, if you don’t then you’re on the wrong webpage):
June Grass Update for Walton County 7/29/13:AM
June grass update for Walton County 7/29/13:AM
0-1on the June Grass Grossness Index
The torrential downpours and constant lightning strikes subsided, temporarily, long enough to climb down from my ark and row my dingy across the yard and down the road to have a look at the beach this morning. I saw literally 2 small clumps of June Grass, and they weren’t even in the water, they were up on the sand.
The water is a shade similar to green milk glass in the Gulf. The Bay and East Pass look like dishwater. Yuck. The Gulf looked swimmable but if you’re near a dune lake outfall, as pictured below, (Walton County only) I don’t recommend swimming in the out-flowing lake water or letting your kids play in it. It’s probably ok but better safe than sorry. Just walk down the beach until you can’t see the brown tannic water anymore.
There were a few early surf fishermen out and I saw some good-sized fish jumping offshore, so it may be a better fishing day than swimming, if you’re like me and prefer clear water. I also saw some big fish jumping in East Pass Saturday night.
I’ve noticed lately that certain public beaches aren’t always flying the most current beach flag so be sure to check online before you go.
In the future there will not be June Grass Reports on red flag days because I don’t encourage anybody to go in the water on a red flag.
At the time this report was made the beach flags were yellow, but check them again before you head to the beach. In Walton County you can text “beachflag” to 67463*
I would love it if you would share your personal June Grass and beach condition reports on the Most Recent June Grass Sightings & Beach Conditions page, to further improve the June Grass Report. It would also be great if you left a comment to tell me where you’re traveling from to visit the beach!
If there isn’t a current June Grass report up on this site I suggest checking the link to local beach cams on the left side of this page. They can often give you an idea of what the water is like. It is also important to “Know Before You Go” and check local beach flags. They are updated twice daily at 9:30am and 1:30pm.
PLEASE ENJOY THE BEACH RESPONSIBLY!
Campbell Lake outflow. This is the first time I’ve seen Campbell Lake break out after living here for over seven years.
More Campbell Lake outflow…
June Grass Update for Walton County 7/24/13:AM
June grass update for Walton County 7/24/13:AM
Stay OUT of the water!
Sorry for the lack of current reports. I’ve been on vacation and didn’t want to post that information online while I was away.
In the future there will not be June Grass Reports on red flag days because I don’t encourage anybody to go in the water on a red flag.
At the time this report was made the beach flags were red, but check them again before you head to the beach. In Walton County you can text “beachflag” to 67463*
I would love it if you would share your personal June Grass and beach condition reports on the Most Recent June Grass Sightings & Beach Conditions page, to further improve the June Grass Report. It would also be great if you left a comment to tell me where you’re traveling from to visit the beach!
If there isn’t a current June Grass report up on this site I suggest checking the link to local beach cams on the left side of this page. They can often give you an idea of what the water is like. It is also important to “Know Before You Go” and check local beach flags. They are updated twice daily at 9:30am and 1:30pm.
PLEASE ENJOY THE BEACH RESPONSIBLY!
The June Grass Report 