Mary Radabuagh takes a walk each morning along her seawall, documenting the algae that’s returned to Central Marine in Rio.
“No one likes to be exposed to it," she says pointing to algae growth at the docks. Docks, that are not full like they would be normally.
“We’ve had some of larger boats, $200-k boats... don’t want their boats to sit in this situation and have the algae possibly go up in their air conditioning system," said Radabaugh.
Radabaugh says she’s called the state’s algal bloom hotline seven times so far this year. Last week, during the pause in Lake O discharges, a group from the DEP, including Secretary Noah Valenstein, visited.
While the DEP took a sample at Central Marine, it was not back in the basin. That sample was taken away from the seawall and out in the St. Lucie River where the report showed no toxins.
“I don’t know how to feel because one day it can be toxic and the next day it can’t," said Radabaugh.
Former Sewall’s Point mayor Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, who has documented the algae blooms from the sky, was on the boat with the DEP. She got this explanation.
“They don’t always test inside the bloom. They test where people are more likely to be swimming and fishing," said Thurlow-Lippisch.
Radabaugh fears at this rate, history may repeat itself.
“Chances are we are going to have another bloom this year.”
A spokeswoman for the DEP said in a statement, “We will continue to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible to both observed and reported algal blooms. Persistent blooms are routinely monitored and retested, and staff also regularly review satellite imagery and aerial photography, when available, to inform the development of daily sampling plans.”
