Stinky seaweed is ruining some of world's best beaches

Wednesday, August 12, 2015, 11:15 AM - Vacationers flock to the Caribbean Islands all year round -- seeking to enjoy crystalline blue water, warm breezes and pristine white-sand beaches.

But the sights and smells of seaweed-choked shorelines are sending visitors running from the water's edge.

While there is nothing unusual about a little seaweed on the sand, overwhelming quantities of pungent brown sargassum seaweed are invading coastal regions of a number of popular destinations, including Mexico and several Caribbean islands.

Visitors to the region have been forced to change plans or cancel their trips altogether to avoid a vacation ruined by the foul-smelling vegetation, a problem that has grown increasingly worse over the past few months.

Sargassum is a type of seaweed that comes from the Sargasso Sea found in an area of the Atlantic Ocean.

It is a nursery habitat for sea turtles and is also home to a number of small marine creatures. But once the seaweed reaches shore, the living beings inside die and rot on land.

Factor in typical summer temperatures in the 30°C range and that's one stinky beach. The seaweed smells just as bad as it looks, described as having a distinct aroma reminiscent of rotten eggs. 

Beyond the sight and smell, the seaweed is also a breeding ground for sand fleas.

Warming ocean temperatures could be a cause for the abundance of sargassum washing up this year.

Authorities have been trying to keep on top of the stinking piles, some up to 3 metres high, that keep washing in with the tide. Some countries have resorted to emergency funds in an effort to free the shore of sargassum, before the busiest tourist period picks up in the fall.

But tourism is sure to be affected as word of the stinky seaweed goes viral.

Images of beaches swallowed by the seaweed have been widely shared on social media. Check out a few for yourself:

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