The eerie carpet of algae bloomed again on the sandy bottom throughout large parts of our dive site. The eerie carpet of algae bloomed again on the sandy bottom throughout large parts of our dive site. Red hypnea came and went with the currents and tides, but mostly stayed, a fly-infested stinking eyesore. During high tide, a swimmer would have to wade through hypnea-infested ocean up to the armpits before reaching cleaner water. We have identified over 50 individual animals, many likely attracted to the area by the easy living.
Seaweeds collect so thickly in depressions that turtles actually can lie down in the stuff.
The area would appear to be heaven for these gentle vegetarians. Despite the luxury of more food than can be possibly eaten, however, this area is actually more like a hell for sea turtles. Over 3 out of every 4 of the resident turtles have tumors. We now have several examples of young turtles new to the area coming down with fibropapillomas within 4 years of settling into this foraging site. Sometimes, we question the wisdom of spending so much of our time underwater in this place of highly suspect water quality.