Black Water off the Gulf Coast of Florida

Mysterious black water appeared off the Gulf Coast of Florida in late winter 2002. The black water returned to the waters off Sanibel Island in August 2002.

By March 10, the mysterious black water off the west coast of Florida had started to disperse and drift toward the Florida Keys. Although no one yet knows what caused the discoloration, divers in the area have found dead sponges and coral, which is indicative of an algae bloom.

Metadata

  • Sensor

    Terra/MODIS

  • Start Date

    2002-03-10

  • Event Start Date

    2002-01-09

  • NH Image ID

    2640

  • NH Event ID

    2612

  • NH Posting Date

    2002-04-04