A mysterious froth has washed up South Australian beaches, raising serious concerns with surfers reportedly falling sick and fish dying in dozens, The Guardian reported. Apart from over 100 surfers who took ill on Waitpinga Beach and Parsons Beach due to the unexplained foam, fish, octopuses, and leafy sea dragons died in large numbers.
The weekend saw the emergence of yellow, discoloured, sludgy, glossy foam at Waitpinga Beach, approximately 100 km south of Adelaide and 15 km southwest of Victor Harbour.
Beachgoers and surfers began complaining of flu-like symptoms, such as itchy eyes, a dry cough, and a sore throat, after their visits to the ocean.
Local surfer Anthony Rowland posted on Facebook that "something weird is in the water," after noting that some "even reported blurred vision."
The water was "covered in a really heavy, dense, yellow foam, with a fair bit of green, slimy, scummy stuff on the beach at the sidelines," Mr Rowland told The Guardian.
Some tourists reported seeing a visible "slick" on the water and dozens of dead fish and leafy seadragons on the beach.
Mr Rowland shared images online of dead marine species, including seadragons, that washed up on the beach. "Visible evidence that something weird is in the water," he remarked.
The response to his post was "absolutely overwhelming", he told the English daily, adding that over 100 people, including himself and other employees, suffered. He feared it was spreading to other Fleurieu Peninsula beaches.
Reacting to Mr Rowland's post, a person said they felt "like something stuck at the back of our throats" and "started coughing at Pt Elliott Bowls Club."
Another noted they "got really bad eyes" and they speculated that the mysterious foam was "definitely more widespread than just Waitpinga."
Mr Rowland claimed that dead fish have been found at Middleton, Encounter Bay, and Victor (Harbour) in the last 24 hours. "It's definitely hit the Victor coast, and there are dead octopuses in Middleton," he added.
A local speculated the mysterious foam might have resulted from a blue/green algae bloom, or cyanobacteria, which are dangerous to both humans and animals and are created by bacteria in all waterways.
Exposure to cyanotoxins may cause flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, sore throat, and shortness of breath.
Health officials claimed the microalgal bloom fuelled by scorching temperatures, stagnant water, and an ongoing marine heatwave may have caused the foam. They have advised the temporary closure of Waitpinga and Parsons Beach.
A Department for Environment and Water official said that as investigators looked into the matter, Waitpinga Beach and Parsons Beach in the Newland Head Conservation Park would be temporarily closed "in the interest of safety."
According to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), an inquiry into the possibility of a "fish mortality event" at Waitpinga is under investigation. "The beaches will be reopened as soon as possible," a spokesperson said.
