June grass update for Walton County June 19th, 2011, PM:

3 on the June Grass Grossness Index.  Fortunately the wind has shifted to the South and the June Grass seems to have dissipated a bit. There are nice little waves, good for body surfing, coming in right now. I also saw TONS of mole crabs (called “sand fleas” by locals, who wax poetic about their value as fishing bait). The water is a nice warm temperature with a few clumps of sargassum coming in.

PLEASE ENJOY THE BEACH RESPONSIBLY!

June grass update for Walton County June 15th, 2011, PM:

4 on the June Grass Grossness Index.  Conditions almost identical to yesterday.

June grass update for Walton County June 14th, 2011, PM:

4 on the June Grass Grossness Index.  Despite the dramatically low tide, stronger wave action, and south wind the grass seems to have calmed down a bit. The nearly-full moon seems to have pulled the tide waaaaaaaaay out so perhaps it took the June Grass with it. In other good news: there are lots of “sand fleas” (mole crabs) and coquina in the surf zone so that means potentially good fishing and that maybe, just maybe, last year’s oil spill hasn’t ruined everything just yet.

June grass update for Walton County June 14th, 2011, AM:

5-7 on the June Grass Grossness Index.  I can’t be sure which it is because I didn’t even bother sticking my feet in this morning, yuck. The storm yesterday afternoon did not help disperse it. The waves are chewing up the banked-up areas of the beach so I don’t think the pseudo-mini-first sandbar is long for this world. I did see two large bait balls, so perhaps the fishing will be good.

June grass update for Walton County June 12th, 2011, PM:

7 on the June Grass Grossness Index. Slimy! A brisk wind from the SSW is bringing in lots of June Grass and pinfish. It also appears that some marine organism has spawned recently. The water temperature is very pleasant but the slime is making anything other than casual swimming less-than-optimum. 

June grass update for Walton County June 10th, 2011, AM:

2.5-3.5 with pockets of 4-5 on the June Grass Grossness Index. Back to the phenomenon of clumping, where it can be sparse in one area and accumulate in thick globs in another area, such as between sand bars and other ocean bottom features.  Right now the wind is from the NW but if it shifts to the SW in the afternoon, which is usually the case, it will probably be pretty snotty later on. Not gross enough to keep me out of the water, but not good for underwater photography/videography and may deter novice snorkelers and SCUBA divers. The water is just fine for fishing, swimming, surfing, and boogie boarding, well it will be for the latter two if the waves pick up, it’s calm right now. Perhaps go try some SUP?

June grass update for Walton County June 8th, 2011, PM:

1-2 on the June Grass Grossness Index. There were more thunderstorms this afternoon and the wind has changed to the southeast. It seems to be dispersing the June Grass a bit. There’s still a few clumps of sargassum and sea grass and a few “sea walnut” (non-stinging, approximately 2″ long) jellies in the surf. The water’s fine, come on in!

June grass update for Walton County June 6th, 2011, PM:

2 on the June Grass Grossness Index. The wind has shifted to the Southwest but there are solitary round clumps of June Grass, about the size of a cotton ball, in the surf.