South Oz Surfers Report Skin And Eye Irritations

Craig Brokensha picture
Craig Brokensha (Craig)
Swellnet Analysis

Since the beginning of March there have been increasing reports of respiratory (breathing) issues along with eye irritations, coming from the surfers in the Victor Harbor region, on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula.

This climaxed on Saturday when a small swell and hot offshore wind led most Adelaide surfers to the region's popular magnets, that being Waitpinga and Parsons beaches (the affected beaches have now been closed to the public until further notice).

A greeny/brown slick was observed by most along with a foul, sulfur like smell, while inshore brown foam started to swallow the shoreline once winds shifted onshore yesterday.

Toxic foam at Waitpinga Beach (Anthony Rowland)

Additionally there appeared to be a mass fish kill event (including weedy sea dragons, leather jackets and puffer fish) washed up along the beaches.

Regular Swellnet contributor and local Andy Smyth put a shoutout on Instagram after he started hearing multiple reports of breathing issues, persistent coughing and blurred vision.

The response he received indicates that hundreds were impacted and it’s not just isolated to those two beaches. From Tunkallila to the west and Goolwa to the east, nearly anyone (apart a small minority) in contact with the ocean has been affected.

Even those watching high from headlands above, with no contact with the water were impacted.

Fish mortalities (Anthony Rowland)

This event has all the hallmarks of a harmful micro algal bloom outbreak, one which can be toxic to both humans and fish.

South Australia has been sitting under a fairly stagnant pattern of wind and clear skies resulting in a strengthening marine heat wave event through the two gulfs, extending out into the Great Australian Bight.

Sea surface temperatures inside and just outside the gulf (extending to Encounter Bay) are 3°C above normal and the build up of hot weather last week seems to have strengthened this even further into the weekend.

Algal blooms thrive under weak winds and warm sea surface temperatures and can be observed above by chlorophyll sensors on overhead satellites.

One such pass last Friday picked up high concentrations of chlorophyll (red colour) high in Gulf St Vincent but also in Backstairs Passage between Kangaroo Island and the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Chlorophyll concentration for the 14th of March (NASA)

There have also been reports of green, fluorescent water by those crossing the passage, further strengthening the case for a harmful micro algal bloom outbreak.

The state based Environment Protection Authority have sent marine scientists down to collect samples and identify the cause of the irritation but going by the colour and a previous mass fish mortality event in 2013, it looks like an algal species named Chaetoceros coarctatus might be to blame.

Such is the toxicity of Chaetoceros coarctatus, even larger fish that feed on smaller affected species can become victim, and this would account for some deeper water fish being included in those being washed up on the Fleurieu’s shores.

If this is the case the question then becomes, when will the water and surrounding areas be safe to enter again?

It all depends on how long the warm sea surface temperatures and subdued wind lasts. An increase in the local winds and cooler temperatures would help mix and break up the algal bloom, but this doesn’t look to occur anytime this week.

Toxic foam at Waitpinga Beach (Anthony Rowland)

For now, local surfers should exercise caution and if any symptoms are experienced, remove themselves from the water and environment immediately.

We’ll provide updates once the results from the EPA testing come in.

Comments

Shiny's picture
Shiny's picture
Shiny Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:17pm

Surfed off the point at dribs first up Sunday morning. Already blown out but building swell. Had super sore eyes yesterday (all good today). Water out the back pretty clean, but last 30 metres close to shore very brown and very strong sulphur smell like brussel sprouts. Eyes felt like I’d been swimming in a heavily chlorinated pool. Be curious to hear if anyone else had issues.

Bartros's picture
Bartros's picture
Bartros Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:17pm

We were at tunks Saturday and had coughing before even getting in the water. I had cloudy, blurry vision all day after that. Eyes are still sore but vision has improved. Didnt notice anything different about the water.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:18pm

Yeah heard people up in the car park at Parsons copping it and not even getting in the water. It was stirred up in the air as well.

Dicky Roberts's picture
Dicky Roberts's picture
Dicky Roberts Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:18pm

I surfed Parsons Saturday morning, surf wasn't great, very closey-outy, but offshore and clean. No weird colour or smell or anything to the water. I had a bit of a cough on paddle-out, but didn't think anything of it. After about half an hour I had really irritated eyes, which my mate who was unaffected by anything was helpfully calling sooky-eye. This got worse and I had to get out after about an hour. Got to a chemist and some saline flush out and eye drops fixed me up but sore eyes for the rest of the day. OK now.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:18pm

Thanks Dicky, that's helpful. Lots of other reports noticing a slick and smell.

Blingas's picture
Blingas's picture
Blingas Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:19pm

Same surfed Waits Saturday morning oily water on paddle out got a cough from nowhere had blurry vision for the rest of the day. I thought it was sun stroke. I heard PiRSA was investigating on the abc radio today. Couldn’t find any news so came here for the low down

snickers's picture
snickers's picture
snickers Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:19pm

Last Monday morning (10th) at Parsons for me. Blurry vision, sore eyes and cough while in the water. Noticed some light brown foam like you see at Middleton on the water. No noticeable smell. Vision was better on leaving the beach and flushing with fresh water but eyes sore all day. Cough persisted all week & maybe caused a sinus infection late last week too.
Good job for running with the story Ben & Craig.

jasper99's picture
jasper99's picture
jasper99 Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:19pm

Same with 4 of us on the same day. All came in with cough. I noticed the water was quite green that day and there was a something weird about the foam after a broken wave. Cough persisted for 2-3 days. My son was quite unwell for a few days. Weird

basesix's picture
basesix's picture
basesix Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:20pm

keep the info coming @swellnetters, super weird.

cgrover's picture
cgrover's picture
cgrover Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:20pm

Goolwa on Friday really sore eyes afterwards

oldman's picture
oldman's picture
oldman Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:20pm

Surfed Middleton Friday and Saturday with no ill effects. Water quality was very poor though.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:21pm

Sounds like the everyday experience!

shraz's picture
shraz's picture
shraz Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 8:33pm

Yeah SA crew coughing with red eyes in the car park is pretty common. Shame about the dirty water though.

basesix's picture
basesix's picture
basesix Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 8:50pm

haha

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 9:18pm

Haha.

Confusion's picture
Confusion's picture
Confusion Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 7:28pm

So it’s not affecting other beaches around Adelaide and Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas
because the water isn’t so warm?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 8:15pm

Not sure but I'd say there could be more nutrients available at the entrance to the gulfs to kick things off? Northern regions could be affected.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 8:40pm

Also any fertiliser blowing off the land could trigger it.

Aaaandy's picture
Aaaandy's picture
Aaaandy Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 8:49pm

Stoked didn't head down went to work instead, few mates headed down and they said it was weird down there and they felt sick and sore eyes and I said probably the hot dry grass clippings and dust blowing off the land it's soooo dry. Spun out it was something more sinister, hope that everyone who surfed comes out unscathed in the end wouldn't want that shit in the body.

Nick Gee's picture
Nick Gee's picture
Nick Gee Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 8:49pm

what a nightmare. never seen/experienced that that before... just the usual Middleton/Goolwa brown water from the Murray. Waits/Parsons is usually clean as a whistle.

often there's a decent high southerly wind event around Easter. hopefully it doesn't take that long to sort itself.

Aaaandy's picture
Aaaandy's picture
Aaaandy Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 8:53pm

Hey Craig is this similar bloom to the one in WA?

Thegrowingtrend.com's picture
Thegrowingtrend.com's picture
Thegrowingtrend.com Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 9:10pm

I was surfin with heaps of carnts just of Vico when I started coughing up me lungs,
Me eyes were heaps red. To many bongos off the rock

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 9:45pm

Some great images from Andy..

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Monday, 17 Mar 2025 at 11:35pm