Holidaymakers along South Africa's West Coast are being met with unsettling scenes as patches of discoloured seawater, piles of dead shellfish and even glowing waves after dark point to renewed red tide activity in the region.
The phenomenon, which tends to surface during the warmer summer months, is a naturally occurring marine event but one that can carry serious risks when conditions intensify, according to Musson, as reported by EWN .
Red tide develops when microscopic algae called dinoflagellates rapidly multiply in coastal waters, sometimes reaching extreme concentrations. These blooms are especially common along the West Coast because of the Benguela Current, which drives cold, nutrient-rich water up from the depths through a process known as upwelling. When these nutrients reach the surface, they create the perfect environment for algae populations to surge.
