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Warmer waters are bringing familiar signs of the approaching summer, with marine stinger nets and mysterious smells returning to the foreshore as crocodile sightings offer another reminder to take care along the coast.
November marks the beginning of the region’s recognised stinger season, when box jellyfish and the tiny Irukandji become a greater concern for those heading into the water.
Council has officially put up stinger nets at Boathaven and Cannonvale beaches, urging swimmers to stay within the designated areas and wear a stinger suit whenever they enter the water.
Box jellyfish are primarily found close to shore, while Irukandji can occur from coastal waters out to the outer reefs, according to local diver for the last 45 years and President of the Whitsundays Conservation Council Tony Fontes.
While the Stinger nets have been put up, Tony warned swimmers that stinger nets can be unreliable against Irukandji, with their coined sized bodies often drifting through the mesh.
“As a diver, I wear head to toe cover 12 months of the year when I’m going in the water,” he said.
“If they just happen to drift through the mesh without touching it, they’ll just continue drifting into the safe zone.”
For those strolling along Cannonvale’s foreshore, another seasonal arrival has been harder to ignore, with an unpleasant smell reported along the shoreline.
While some might suspect coral spawning, Tony attributes the recent odour to a naturally occurring bloom of algae known as Trichodesmium, pushed ashore by northerly winds.
When alive, he explained it resembles sawdust floating on the surface, with a pale yellow or orange colour. Once washed onto the beach, it becomes considerably less appealing.
“By the time it washes ashore, it’s yucky mucky,” Tony said.
“If the northerlies are blowing, it’ll stick around as well.”
Tony explained that coral spawning can also produce a smell, but its timing depends on water temperature and the lunar cycle, with late October generally on the early side.
Crocodile sightings have also drawn attention along the coast, with sightings at Coral and Cannonvale beach sparking early concern for swimmers.
With the nearby Proserpine River home to a large saltwater crocodile population and the waters getting warmer into summer, sightings along the coast remain a possibility.
Tony described the animals as shy and often quick to retreat when disturbed but their ability to disappear beneath the surface means they can be present without being seen, a reminder for people to remain vigilant around local waterways.
As people head to the coast to cool off, the seasonal changes are a timely reminder to heed beach signage and local warnings.
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