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Original poster

Another mysterious beach incident

37 replies

PrettyShiningPeople · 26/08/2019 08:43

So for the third time in as many years, there’s been an incident on on a southern UK beach causing people to feel unwell but where no known cause has been identified.

I just find it bizarre that the authorities shrug their shoulders without really trying to find out what the hell is going on. Fumes from passing ships had been suggested, but it seems they’ve really no idea.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/25/emergency-services-called-essex-seaside-reports-people-coughing/amp/

I was on a beach in Northumberland yesterday and there was a slight eggy smell near the water. Nobody appeared to be being affected by it.
Apparently this could be as a result of hydrogen sulphide from rotting seaweed, which had been a serious issue on beaches in Brittany this year where swimmers have actually died.
Could this be a more likely cause, albeit on a smaller, less toxic scale?
Did anyone on any beaches yesterday experience anything similar?

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Original poster
PrettyShiningPeople · 26/08/2019 08:47

Although just to note there was no seaweed or algae that I could see on the beach I was on

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Solihooley · 26/08/2019 08:47

Yes it’s weird isn’t it. Some relatives of mine live Near Eastbourne and we’re affected the very 1st time this happened in East Sussex. They were in their garden about 2 miles from the sea! Felt their eyes stinging and started coughing badly. The seaweed thing sounds unlikely to me. Whatever chemical is causing this is very strong.

Original poster
PrettyShiningPeople · 26/08/2019 08:51

It’s really concerning, if it is a chemical spill or chemical haze from somewhere they really need to find out where on earth it’s coming from and do something about it, or at least be able to inform people of the risk of harm.

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Northernsoullover · 26/08/2019 08:52

Apparently last years was caused by a company discharging gas from their tanks. I cannot find anything to back this up but I was told by a fairly reliable source NOT the Environment Agency but someone working in a similar field. I had a Google last night to try and find last years story but think I must have been putting in the incorrect search terms.
Apparently it was hushed up. I sound like one of those trashy newspaper columnists which gives gossip details so vague that you leaves you baffled Grin

HoneysuckIejasmine · 26/08/2019 08:56

Pollution, I'm sure. Wasn't there an article lately that said none of the rivers in the UK are fit for bathing, due to pollution?

MollyButton · 26/08/2019 09:02

Algae could be an explanation - but you would think someone would see the algae bloom. Do we have anyone looking? Any Oceanologists around any more?

But there are also lots of munitions probably lurking on the sea bed.

mumwon · 26/08/2019 09:14

@HoneysuckIejasmine I think the river pollution was sewerage being discharged into the river (shudders)

Oldraver · 26/08/2019 09:18

Feargal Sharkey was on Fishermans Blues on Sunday talking about the state of our rivers, was a very intersting show

Original poster
PrettyShiningPeople · 26/08/2019 12:23

Interesting. Just a few days ago warnings were issued advising people not to go in the sea at a number of Essex beaches.
(Due to sewage overflow)
Wonder if these are connected.

www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/new-warnings-not-go-sea-3224055

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Original poster
PrettyShiningPeople · 26/08/2019 12:26

Not sure it said no rivers suitable HoneysuckIejasmine.
I think rivers running through urban areas & cities are the worst. Rivers in less populated areas are better but could still be affected by pollution or run-off from farms.

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Longlongsummer · 26/08/2019 12:29

In Iceland and Switzerland the water is protected and clear. It makes me so angry that government protects businesses by not investigating or posing hefty fines.

Gizlotsmum · 26/08/2019 12:32

Sewage will go to rivers after treatment mostly. In storm some diluted will discharge via permitted storm discharges and emergency overflows if there is a blockage/pump fail. Sewage will not cause coughing and irritation. In bathing waters it will be treated further to remove bacteria, this is not done as routine on treatment plants as nature will remove a lot of the microorganisms before they make people ill.

Original poster
PrettyShiningPeople · 26/08/2019 12:35

No I thought that to be honest, sewage pollution would cause gastro illnesses rather than respiratory. But wondered whether the sewage could have caused something else.

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Gizlotsmum · 26/08/2019 13:02

Unlikely. It's pretty inert, even if it's gone septic (shouldn't if treated and flowing) it could produce hydrogen sulphide (rotten egg smell) but it would soon dissipate once in contact with oxygen, hydrogen sulphide is more of a risk in confined spaces (such as sewers) with limited oxygen supply

midcenturylegs · 26/08/2019 13:10

@Oldraver Feargal Sharkey! My teenage pin-up boy.
I've been curious about this since it happened in Aug 2017, around the same beaches. Frustrated because this is the sort of stuff I studied decades ago but have no idea about anything anymore. I know that sea air produces dimethyl sulphide gas (this is what produces the smell of sea air) and this in a lab is an eye irritant..? Did we have a hot hot summer in 2017 when this happened? Could be barking up the wrong tree of course.

midcenturylegs · 26/08/2019 13:16

@MollyButton I was, sort of, but have moved away slightly away from that field. I'd hazard a guess it was some sort of combination of fluvial pollutants, shipping effluents, tide, wind and heat conditions. Which is why certain beaches have been affected 3 years running. Would be good if the EA / Defra could look at the conditions of all those things on the days this has happened.

UrsulaPandress · 26/08/2019 13:19

Oh I love Fergal.

MollyButton · 26/08/2019 13:36

@midcenturylegs you would hope that someone was doing some proper (if a bit boring) research into this. I mean are there any algal blooms?

midcenturylegs · 26/08/2019 13:49

@MollyButton I've seen red algae blooms which do cause respiratory and nausea problems (it was horrible) but none in the UK - only in the tropics and Oz.
There are environmental/geospatial machine learning models that can take in all the sort of data I talked about above and tell you what the air quality will look like and where pending certain conditions... It's a big industry, the problem is the lack of funding to invest in to it.

midcenturylegs · 26/08/2019 13:51

*pay for it, I meant, by the EA/Defra

@PrettyShiningPeople - sorry for derailing your thread a bit.. Blush

Original poster
PrettyShiningPeople · 26/08/2019 14:32

Not derailing at all! Just the kind of insight needed...you carry on! Grin

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MushroomPancake · 26/08/2019 15:20

Worthing seafront was evacuates a couple of weeks back

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-sussex-49311079

MushroomPancake · 26/08/2019 15:20

*evacuated

Original poster
PrettyShiningPeople · 26/08/2019 16:24

Yeah, i remember the Worthing incident and the Telegraph mentions that one too. That was in the ‘3’ I was aware of (Birling Gap, Worthing and now Frinton (plus a couple other places on that coast)

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