Marco Island Beaches Have Stinky Problem
MARCO ISLAND (CBSmiami/AP) — The white sands of Marco Island's beaches are a little pungent these days thanks to a cold front from the Gulf of Mexico which caused thousands of smelly sea squirts to wash ashore.
The sea creatures, which look like soft potatoes, filter water and remove bacteria and other substances from the Gulf.
The Gulf rarely has high wave action and the water is shallow, so when fronts come across, many animals, shells and debris wash onshore. In this case, waves were rougher and higher than normal due to a three-quarter moon phase.
Unfortunately the squirts cause a stench when they decompose. City officials said waves and birds are expected to remove the problem in the next couple of days.
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