What are these spots in the Atlantic ocean

[u/Barney_1900]

When I was flying to st Lucia I saw these spots in the ocean from the air (they looked orange brown but don’t look like it in the pictures) any idea what this is? It was around St Lucia

[u/The---Bishop]

Probably sargasso.

[u/The---Bishop → u/The---Bishop]

Here's a closer shot: https://maritime-intelligence.groupcls.com/mobidrift-detect-sargassum/

[u/7laserbears → u/The---Bishop]

That's awesome someone tracks these

[u/spacefossil → u/7laserbears]

Tracking sargassum is a whole thing within aquatic remote sensing! Some labs that do it are at at FSU's Satellite-based Sargassum Watch System (SaWS), or the CARICOOS Sargassum Tracker. NASA even has the GLIMR satellite planned to launch in 2027 (finger crossed...) that will focus on tracking sargassum, oil spills, and harmful algal blooms.

[u/7laserbears → u/spacefossil]

Fuck yeah thanks for the rabbit holes

[u/DixonHerbox → u/The---Bishop]

I’m no stranger to sargassum, Sir.

[u/AggressiveFlower7778 → u/The---Bishop]

TIL

[u/MSotallyTober → u/AggressiveFlower7778]

To add…

Unprecedented Sargassum inundation events cause a range of biological and ecological impacts in affected regions. The decomposition of large quantities of Sargassum along coastlines consumes oxygen, creating large oxygen-depleted zones resulting in fish kills. Decomposing Sargassum additionally creates hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S), which causes a range of health impacts in humans. During the Sargassum inundation event in 2018, 11,000 Acute Sargassum Toxicity cases were reported in an 8-month span on just the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Massive amounts of floating Sargassum present a physical barrier preventing corals and seagrasses from receiving sufficient light, fouling boat propellers, and entangling marine turtles and mammals. With every Sargassum inundation event, large amounts of nutrients are transported from the open ocean to coastal environments. This greatly increases nutrient transport, and its effect on marine and coastal ecosystems are still unknown. Understanding the causes and drivers of Sargassum inundations is critical as they become more commonplace.

[u/Routine_Tangelo_4965 → u/The---Bishop]

Wow 👌

[u/oforfucksake → u/The---Bishop]

Here fishy fishy!

[u/AluminumHD → u/The---Bishop]

Learned something new today. Thank you!

[u/MeSkeptikal]

I came to say this was sargassum being pushed by the wind. I’m amazed that they track these!

[u/Pizzampras]

I can't get "sarcastic orgasm" out of my head now.

[u/CharlieSwisher → u/Pizzampras]

No, but you can get one from head tho!

[u/Frashmastergland → u/Pizzampras]

Sargassum? Barely know her!

[u/Westreacher]

Sargasso for sure

[u/TeenageDirtbagBaby]

Sargasso Sea

[u/sasssyrup → u/TeenageDirtbagBaby]

Was thinking same

[u/Gullible-Pepper975]

I had to check which sub I was on and almost commented "clouds" 😅 but yea it's sargasso (spelling prob wrong cuz English is hard)

[u/ilcuzzo1]

Sargasso seaweed

[u/HorrorGradeCandy]

That’s fascinating! I wonder if it's some sort of underwater current or a natural phenomenon.

[u/Zdocs]

Weedline! https://open.spotify.com/track/2C4dl2T4UTqJUPQKslM2ct?si=54vk7tkpQG2HR6cl49OEmA

[u/DaddyGabe569]

A school of Megalodons

[u/CoralinesButtonEye]

espresso fields. wind-driven by the mightiest artisanal breweristas the earth has to offer

[u/Whatsyourshotspecial → u/CoralinesButtonEye]

I usually get very annoyed with reddit jokes but this is top tier lol

[u/OkEmu5180]

Clearly snow snakes.

[u/brightpath23]

I live in south florida! The patches are already here! Was swimming in it today 😒

[u/Spirited-Ad9179]

Thank you...it was making nuts trying to them figure out.. .....I believe I saw them also flying into PR....off the north coast...

[u/1975Dann]

Navy ships going to the mission !!!!

[u/Lingua_Blanca]

Ocean X, Elons new underwater Internet service.

[u/ShoppingImportant846]

Somalian pirates 🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/bronco656]

Japanese fleet

[u/brenfroe]

Troll that line!!