Seafoam is created by a combination of factors including decaying organic matter, excretions of algae, and pollutants. The amount of foam can vary due to factors such as phytoplankton blooms and human products. In 2007, seafoam was linked to the deaths and strandings of migratory seabirds. In some cases, circumstances combine to form colossal amounts of airy froth, such as the “Cappuccino Coast” in Yamba, Australia.
Seafoam is likely created by a combination of factors. Decaying organic matter such as fish, plants and microscopic organisms, excretions of algae and other proteins and, in some cases, pollutants, are all carried by tiny air bubbles raised by tidal movements. When the currents reach the shore and a wave forms, the air bubbles well up to the surface and merges. The wave breaks and the foam washes ashore.
The amount of foam created on a beach at any given time can vary as factors change. A phytoplankton bloom is a microscopic algae that can reproduce so rapidly when conditions are right, that the biomass can be seen from space. It can discolor seawater to a brown or reddish color, giving rise to the name, red tide, although scientists prefer “algal bloom” since the color varies and the bloom is unrelated to tidal movement. Harmful algae blooms produce natural toxins and reduce dissolved oxygen levels in the area, triggering a sudden disappearance of local marine life. The sudden increase in organic waste can contribute to higher amounts of sea scum.
Human products also contribute to sea foam, including runoff from farms, factory waste and sewer spills. Foam resulting from pollutants is often brown, although foam caused by red tide or other organic sources can also appear brownish. Generally, foam not created by pollutants or algae flowers is white.
In 2007, sea foam was linked to the deaths and strandings of hundreds of migratory seabirds on California’s Monterey coast. Scientists were initially perplexed when the birds were found covered in a greenish yellowish substance, which dulled the feathers. This caused the feathers to lose their insulating property and 207 birds died in the cold seas while another 550 became stranded. Scientists eventually linked a recent nontoxic algae bloom that had produced foam with the problematic residue on birds.
Another quite different event also occurred in 2007. While most beachgoers experience sea foam as relatively small pockets of frothy bubbles, in some cases circumstances combine to form colossal amounts of airy froth. In August this year the water surfers in Yamba, Australia, just north of Sydney, were in for a big surprise. A veritable seafoam wall has drifted in to wrap around the beach. The foam dwarfed the beachgoers, covering the shore, even seeping into nearby buildings, including the lifeguard centre. The bizarre scene, dubbed the “Cappuccino Coast,” has been captured in photos so incredible that fact-finding websites have been contacted to determine its authenticity.
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