Sandy Bay Photo
The Beach at Sandy Bay
This photograph was taken in August 2009 when the beach was being affected by a bit of an algal bloom which accounts for the green line around the seashore and the deposits on the beach. It is caused by the pollution of the water with agricultural fertilizers which causes some marine plantlife to undergo excessive growth. There has been a fair amount of rain this summer causing a lot of fertiliser to be washed down off the farmland into the sea. Calm sea conditions have not helped the pollutants to be mixed into deeper seawater.
© Tony Atkin and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
Taken at: Sandy Bay, South West England
Date taken / added: 17th Aug 2009