Water discolored

[kylake]

Did anyone notice that the water was very discolored at Coco La Palm beach north towards the river yesterday?
I wonder what caused this? We first saw it on their webcam but here is a picture taken yesterday by someone at Coco.
http://negril.com/forum/attachment.p...&thumb=1&stc=1

[Bnewb]

It's a common occurence....the run off from the morass/river....happens every time there's been days of rain or a heavy rain...

[JitterBug]

It's a common occurence....the run off from the morass/river....happens every time there's been days of rain or a heavy rain...

i notice that no jamaicans swim in the ocean when this occurs . . . bnewb, do you swim while the water is in that condition?

[St. Anthony's Kitchen]

i notice that no jamaicans swim in the ocean when this occurs . . . bnewb, do you swim while the water is in that condition?

JitterBug, this is what I've heard as well.... it's due to the river, especially when heavy rains are happening.

St. Anthony's Kitchen

[Rob]

i notice that no jamaicans swim in the ocean when this occurs . . . bnewb, do you swim while the water is in that condition?

Jamaican have and do swim in the sea when this occurs (the Caribbean is technically a "sea", not an "ocean"). I have swam it before - the darker layer is only on top of the heavier sea water due to the sea's salt content.

[heater]

I keep hearing that it's sewage, is this true? Even if it was sewage, the sea is so big that I sure that it doesn't stick around for long.

[kylake]

I keep hearing that it's sewage, is this true?

Yuck, who do you hear this from heater? I figured it was just tannic water from the breakdown of plants in the morass, what else is up river?

[Rob]

Yuck, who do you hear this from heater? I figured it was just tannic water from the breakdown of plants in the morass, what else is up river?

You are correct. It is the tannic water of the river caused by the breakdown of the plant life in the Great Morass. This is the same way that tea gets it color from tea leaves....

[Yvonne]

You are correct. It is the tannic water of the river caused by the breakdown of the plant life in the Great Morass. This is the same way that tea gets it color from tea leaves....

Thank you Rob for this & your other responses. I've been telling people this for years but the sewage rumor never seems to die. Surprised it got so far down the beach. I heard it rained a lot when I left. It's common where I stay @ the north end of the beach. Most summers the river "comes in" maybe 2X while I'm there (4+ weeks). Last summer it was very rainy & the river "came in" 5-6X a week. If people could just think of it as tea, they wouldn't get so freaked out about it. It always clears up. No big deal.

[Rob]

I keep hearing that it's sewage, is this true? Even if it was sewage, the sea is so big that I sure that it doesn't stick around for long.

No, it is not sewage. it the river water flowing into the sea, which is why is "floats" on top of the sea water which is heavier than fresh water. That is also why you (any human body) floats in sea water, and sinks in fresh water...