Many islanders will say these are the best gifts that could arrive to Anna Maria Island: Clear air. Clear water. Little red tide.
The only cluster of Karenia brevis in Manatee County waters was found Dec. 12 in a medium concentration at Palma Sola Bay.
Otherwise, the massive red tide bloom that had hugged the Florida coastline from Marco Island in the south to Pinellas County in the north for more than a year was said to be disappearing.
“The seasonal changes have been helping to clear the red tide,” Jonathan Veach, an information specialist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said in a phone interview Dec. 14 with The Islander.
“Not so much the water temperature, but shifting winds, storms coming through, less nutrients in the water. It’s seasonal changes that are helping the most,” Veach said.
Floridians have been living with a red tide bloom since it appeared off the far southwestern coastline in November 2017.
Red tide struck Anna Maria Island Aug. 3 after creeping up the coastline.
The red tide crisis peaked in August-September 2018, resulting in fish kills and weekly samplings of more than 1,000,000 k. brevis parts per liter of water by researchers.
Workers had cleared more than 316 tons of dead sealife — fish, manatees, sea turtles and dolphins — from Manatee County shorelines by the end of October, tourism tanked and business owners were left trying to maneuver a way through a stoppage of revenues.
The FWC’s midweek report Dec. 12 showed very low concentrations in the Rod & Reel Pier sampling from Anna Maria — 1,000 to 10,000 parts per liter.
FWC also found low readings at Cortez Beach.
The Dec. 12 sample from the Palma Sola Bay Bridge on Manatee Avenue was the only medium sample found in Manatee County, and was one of only two medium samples found along the entire southwest Florida coastline.
“Red tide is notoriously hard to predict,” Veach said. “We’ve had 10-12 continuous days of dissipating red tide. Hopefully, it continues.”
Keeping island businesses viable and workers busy has been a challenge during the red tide outbreak.
Walter Loos and wife Julie Kirkwood own Segs by the Sea and Book a Little Sunshine in Bradenton Beach. Loos recently launched lovebradentonbeach, a website showcasing events in Bradenton Beach and throughout the island communities.
“It’s an effort to help bring together the business communities,” he said.
“With the red tide event, we all began to face a different sort of challenge. Each city has its own special energy and each is different. We have 217 businesses just in Bradenton Beach. We want to give focus to what we have,” Loos said.
Meanwhile, the cool shift to winter weather on Anna Maria Island is bringing snowbirds and sun- lovers back to the shore — possibly with a holiday surprise: The end of the 14-month red tide bloom.