If you’re heading down to Key West, Florida for drinking on Duval Street, should be a good time. Boating and fishing – excellent. Outdoor water adventures, a big yes. But if you want to spend some time on the Key West beaches, you’re gonna have a bad time. Sargassum has made it’s way to the Key West beaches earlier this year. And there’s a lot of it.
Sargassum in Key West is normal. They usually start seeing some rolling up on the beaches in June. We get in Fort Myers and Naples, too. But usually for Key West it’s a big summer occurrence. It piles up on the beaches with the smell in the air. Then the winter winds pull it from the beaches and things clean up. This year was different. Large amounts of sargassum started showing up in March.
According to the locals at Key West Island News, “Decomposing sargassum releases an intense “the devil has arrived” sulfur smell. That’s hydrogen sulfide. It stinks, but generally doesn’t harm humans in outdoor settings. (Although, if you’re sensitive to strong smells or have significant respiratory problems, like asthma, you might want to wear a mask or limit your exposure until you see if the hydrogen sulfide bothers you.) ”
So that’s what it is. The question then becomes whether you should reconsider a trip to Key West. Simple answer is ‘no’. No one really goes to Key West for the beaches. The sandbars are where you want to be. If I want to spend some time on a beach, I stay in Naples or Fort Myers Beach. Key West is for other things.
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA swimmer prepares to jump into the water as sargassum floats on top of it on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareIn an aerial view, sargassum seaweed blankets the shoreline on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareIn an aerial view, a boat passes through sargassum floating on the surface of the ocean on May 18, 2023 in Marathon, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA beachgoer walks through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA beachgoer walks through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareBeachgoers walk through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA beachgoer walks through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
SharePeople walk past a beach covered with sargassum on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA bird walks along sargassum that floated ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
SharePeople walk past a beach covered with sargassum on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareSargassum floats along the shoreline on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareBeachgoers walk through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA beachgoer walks through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareIn an aerial view, sargassum seaweed floats along the coast on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareBeachgoers walk through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareBeachgoers walk through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA beachgoer walks through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA beachgoer walks through sargassum that washed ashore on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA beachgoer walks through sargassum as he wades through it for a swim in the ocean on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareSargassum floats along the shoreline on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA swimmer looks out at the sargassum floating on the ocean surface on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareMiya the dog swims through sargassum floating on the surface of the ocean on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareEmpty beach chairs sit on a beach partially covered with sargassum on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA beachgoer walks through sargassum as she wades through it for a swim in the ocean on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareIn an aerial view, boats pass through sargassum floating on the surface of the ocean on May 18, 2023 in Marathon, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA child walks through the sargassum along the beach on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareSargassum piles up along the beach on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareIn an aerial view, sargassum seaweed blankets the shoreline on May 18, 2023 in Marathon, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareA person walks along a beach partially covered with sargassum on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Huge Mass Of Sargassum Seaweed Floats To Key West Beaches
ShareKevin Gallaway holds up sargassum as he wades through it for a swim in the ocean on May 18, 2023 in Key West, Florida. Reports indicate that as summer progresses, a huge mass of sargassum seaweed which has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines and shores throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The sargassum, a naturally occurring type of macroalgae, is reported to span more than 5,000 miles. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
