Beach eyesore on Sanibel actually benefits wildlife and sand erosion

SANIBEL, Fla. (WINK) — Big piles of stringy stuff are washing up on beaches from Fort Myers Beach to Sanibel, and while it may not look postcard-perfect, it's perfectly natural.

The beach eyesore is actually doing some good. WINK News reporter Bridget Bruchalski went to Sanibel to get the scoop on what's really washing ashore.

What's washing up on Bowman's Beach, now faded by the sun, is called red drift algae. It may not smell like a tropical dream, but it is not red tide.

This stringy, seaweed-looking stuff is totally normal. It's a type of red algae that washes in with the tides, the wind and the currents.

While a lot of people mix it up with sargassum, the brown algae seen on Florida's east coast, this is different and much more common in the Gulf. It shows up, hangs out for a few days, then breaks down and disappears just as quickly.

Yes, it can get a little stinky, but no, it's not harmful. In fact, the City of Sanibel's Natural Resource Director, Holly Milbrandt, says it's actually helping the beach.

"We know that beach rack is what that's called, is really important for wildlife habitat and usually temporary, so not a significant disturbance for beach goers," Milbrandt said.

"There are all sorts of creatures that are in there, you know, so tiny, you know, marine organisms, arthropods, you know, all sorts of little things that are what the shorebirds are feeding on," she said.

Milbrandt says it can even help hold sand in place, which is key for areas dealing with erosion. If you're waiting for pristine white sands again, maybe wait a few days.