By: De’Jah Seabrooks, Follow South Jersey Intern
When you think of Jersey beaches, you probably think of polluted murky waters. Growing up five minutes from the shore, going to the beach was never all that exciting. Combine that with the fact that my school’s mascot was the green wave, it never made the Jersey beaches the place to be.
However things seem to be looking up for the Jersey Shore this summer. Beach goers are in for a surprise from the usual beach trip this year. Reports suggest that the state’s beaches are boasting brighter and clearer waters compared to previous years. Some are comparing it to the Caribbean Sea with how crystal clear it is.
As someone whose life has been minutes away from the beach, I was determined to figure out what caused the change in my local waters. For starters reduced pollution plays a big part in the changes we’ve seen in the waters this year. Efforts to control beach pollution, including stricter regulations and improved wastewater treatment, may be contributing to clearer waters. Along with community efforts to clean up our beaches and implement changes to keep them clean like fines and accessible trash and recycling bins throughout.
This followed by the presence of more phytoplankton. These plankton however may have a bigger role then they seem. Anna Pfeiffer-Herbert, a professor of Marine Science at Stockton University has a good explanation of this. When these Phytoplankton bloom they have different colors ranging from blue, yellow, and green. The color comes from their cells, she explains. When there’s about a million or so of these phytoplankton in a patch of water, their presence is evident. The more there is, the more vibrant the color.
With this information it’s easy to assume that the cause for these crystal clear shores is the presence of these phytoplankton. However I went a little deeper, what’s causing these phytoplankton to appear more resulting in bluer waters. The answer?
Warm weather.
According to Shore News Network, “the weather over the Mid-Atlantic has been unusually calm, allowing the water to be the clearest it has been in decades.”
With consistent warm temperatures in the water movement offshore leaves causes deeper cold water to rise giving the phytoplankton the ability to thrive. Favorable ocean currents are flushing out pollutants. New Jersey’s beaches are beckoning with their bright and clear waters!
So, grab your swimsuit and beach essentials, and head down to the shore for a refreshing summer experience.
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