(CMR) The Department of Environment said while it is uncommon for sargassum to accumulate on the west coast of the island due to winds predominantly blowing from the east, it is not unheard of. The department issued this statement after receiving a call from a concerned member of the public regarding an abundance of floating seaweed sargassum and jellyfish at Governor’s Beach.
The DoE said one of its Research Officers responded and found extensive mats of sargassum along several sections of Seven Mile Beach. No jellyfish were found washed up on the beach, but it is still possible they are in the water hidden in the sargassum.
“We believe the calm weather and light westerly winds allowed currents to momentarily push the normally ocean-bound sargassum on shore. As the winds shift around over the next few days, we should start to see conditions return to normal and the sargassum carried back offshore,” the DoE stated.
The Department also warned that encounters with jellyfish are likely to increase the time of year,
With the onset of spring and as the offshore waters warm, it isn’t unusual this time of year to encounter an increased abundance of jellyfish, so we encourage swimmers to exercise caution in the water and keep some vinegar handy for rinsing down and neutralizing jellyfish stings,” the DoE warned.
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