Gargantuan Seaweed ‘Island’ Crossing Atlantic, Headed Toward Florida’s Gulf Coast

Dead fish lay at the high tide line on Clearwater Beach, in Pinellas County, Fla., on March 9, 2023. Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP

While a toxic red tide algal bloom is invading Florida’s beaches, a vast island of seaweed—spanning twice the width of the United States—is headed for the Sunshine state’s waters. It could seriously impact the tourism industry as Spring Break nears.

The mass of floating “Sargassum” seaweed is currently making its way slowly through the Atlantic and will likely hit Florida’s shores in weeks.