water clarity

[rockinreader]

I was talking with a couple of friends last night about the clarity of the water in Florida. Why is it that the water is so clear in Florida but as you come up the east coast the ocean water isn't so clear?

[Mr.Peanut]

That depends where you are. If I go off shore here in the north east, the water is clear.
But if I am in the back bays, its hit or miss. Sometimes I can see a few feet down other days it seems so thick, I can almost walk across the bay.
It probably has alot to do with pollution, water traffic and poor drainage.

[ScruffyRubicon]

Originally Posted by rockinreader

I was talking with a couple of friends last night about the clarity of the water in Florida. Why is it that the water is so clear in Florida but as you come up the east coast the ocean water isn't so clear?

It all has to do with the currents in your area and pollution, dirt and debris. Pretty much any place if you go out 5 miles or so it becomes very clear. The water along the gulf coast is terrible until you get further out.

[Brocnizer]

The issue is the inlets and the rivers that feed into the ocean.

For instance, in St. Augustine, the water is not very clear. Its clean on some days, but not very clear like south FL. But if you run 2 miles off shore, it is crystal clear, especailly in the summer.

The water leaving the local rivers further north are affected by lots of tanic (sp?) acid from the pine trees. hence why the water has a brown color to it in the rivers. even though the intercostal waterways are salt water, they are fed by lots and lots of fresh water streams that are very very brown.

As you move south, the flora changes...less and less pines. The water feeding into the ocean has less of the brown, so the water along the beaches is more clear.

Also in the keys there are areas where the water is not very clear at all. It has a very black look like in blackwater sound in key largo. This has to do with everglade run off into it

[Loverotties]

We need are skimmer cleaned!

[crvz]

Originally Posted by ScruffyRubicon

It all has to do with the currents in your area and pollution, dirt and debris. Pretty much any place if you go out 5 miles or so it becomes very clear. The water along the gulf coast is terrible until you get further out.

And the reason texas coasts are so brown... I think west of the mississippi river delta is a lot murkier than east.

[jschulzpt]

When I was in Mexico they said that the water was always cloudy and not suitable for snorkling due to the sand and the constant currents. I imagine that pollution, and all of the other things mentioned also have parts to play.