Callala "Beach" Has Disappeared!

[Bundalene]

:eek:Under a mass of Green Weed:o

Don't know if any of you have been to the Callala Beach area in the past week or so. The entire beach from Myola to Callala Bay is covered in a massive carpet of green weed. Not the large flat seaweed that is often washed up, but a thin grass-like mossy type. In many parts it is half a meter or more thick and bit on the nose as well.From a distance the entire beach looks like to long thin lawn.

Looking out into Jervis Bay itself, the weed goes out quite a long way - maybe over 200 meters or more.

The locals said they have never seen anything like it before.

We'll take a photo tomorrow morning, but won't be able to post it for another week as we're heading further south to try a bit of fishing and do a bit of exploring.

[Tank]

Drop in for a chat, might be able to show you around, I'm at Moruya heads, PM if you wish, regards Frank.

[gazk]

Hi Erich, from talking to a couple of friends who were down Tuross Heads and Narooma last weekend the coast further South is a bit of a mess after all the rain they had last weekend. (They got a lot more than we had around Nowra)

regards

[Lucy]

The locals said they have never seen anything like it before.

Did you ask a 'real' local or one of those that just comes down occasionally to their weekender? The weed happens every now and then. It really stinks once it starts to rot. Makes excellent garden mulch though:angel:

[101RRS]

That area of Jervis Bay has the best sea grass on the south east coast and occasionally in bad weather some of it gets washed ashore. Great nursery for fish after they have hatched/born.

Garry

[Bundalene]

Hi Erich, from talking to a couple of friends who were down Tuross Heads and Narooma last weekend the coast further South is a bit of a mess after all the rain they had last weekend. (They got a lot more than we had around Nowra)

regards

Thanks Gary,

We are heading further south but have no definite set plans - just cruising along and stopping when we feel like it. May head inland if conditions are poor.
Cheers, Erich

[Bundalene]

Did you ask a 'real' local or one of those that just comes down occasionally to their weekender? The weed happens every now and then. It really stinks once it starts to rot. Makes excellent garden mulch though:angel:

Yeah, know what you mean, but there are a few locals around. My wife's parents have lived there for the past 30 years - not sure whether they'd be considered "local" by some of the really older residents though.

Have seen the weed a few times. but never this thick. The National Parks take a dim view of anyone removing weed for mulch, which is a shame.Even at the Callala Bay boat ramp the weed was 1 meter thick and the council weren't allowed to clean it up with a bobcat. They reckon it needs to be washed bak into the bay.

[Bundalene]

:eek:Under a mass of Green Weed:o

Don't know if any of you have been to the Callala Beach area in the past week or so. The entire beach from Myola to Callala Bay is covered in a massive carpet of green weed. Not the large flat seaweed that is often washed up, but a thin grass-like mossy type. In many parts it is half a meter or more thick and bit on the nose as well.From a distance the entire beach looks like to long thin lawn.

Looking out into Jervis Bay itself, the weed goes out quite a long way - maybe over 200 meters or more.

The locals said they have never seen anything like it before.

We'll take a photo tomorrow morning, but won't be able to post it for another week as we're heading further south to try a bit of fishing and do a bit of exploring.

The photo below is how the beach normally looks - this was taken about 6 months ago

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/5272/disc1010.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/i/disc1010.jpg/)



This pic was taken last week. Note the position of the pine tree in the back ground shows the photo was taken at a similar spot.

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/1005/dscn9728r.jpg (http://img199.imageshack.us/i/dscn9728r.jpg/)


Another shot showing the depth of the weed - 50 - 60cm deep. There was a thicker cover further down the beach. This continued for kilometers.
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/4497/dscn9718.jpg (http://img715.imageshack.us/i/dscn9718.jpg/)

Close-up. Please ignore the mark on the camera lens.
http://img532.imageshack.us/img532/8748/dscn9741.jpg (http://img532.imageshack.us/i/dscn9741.jpg/)

Erich

[andrew e]

ah..........ah..........AH..............AHCHOO.





















scuse me.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Yeah, know what you mean, but there are a few locals around. My wife's parents have lived there for the past 30 years - not sure whether they'd be considered "local" by some of the really older residents though...<snip>..Nope not local until you've been there for 3 generations.

Jervis Bay has a problem with algal blooms as the bay is not flushed by a major river and the tidal flow is not sufficient to wash out the bay with each cycle. With all the development in the region over the last few decades the water often has a large nutrient load.

We should blame it on newcomers like Bill Collins! :D

Addit: That ain't the regular algae - anyone missing a ship-load of lettuce!

[Cap]

WTF!!! Damn... thats nasty! Its gona smell BAD when it starts to dry up.

[groucho]

Just listening to ABC today and they recon it stinks to high heaven.......

[Bundalene]

Just listening to ABC today and they recon it stinks to high heaven.......

When we called past on Tuesday, we could smell it from about 2kms away. It wasn't nice, and I feel very sorry for the locals who will have to put up with the stench for a while.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes to wash back into the bay.