The Red Tides are Coming! by Marilyn Barr

            I love the beach. Collecting shells, riding the waves, and watching the weather change over the seas are some of my favorite things to do. My husband is a fervent animal rights activist, so our vacations are dependent on different threatened animal populations. An ocean animal shifter novel was an inevitability. Every September, my family travels to Anna Maria Island, Fl, to help the sea turtles make their journey from the nest to the deep waters.

            In 2018, our trip was delayed by algae bloom overgrowth. The coast of Florida was ravaged by a natural phenomenon called “Red Tide”. From the Florida keys to the top of the panhandle, the ocean was tinged with red. There were warnings to stay out of the water due to respiratory distress symptoms from swimmers. Instead of ushering baby turtles to the ocean, my family was cleaning up piles of dead fish. What was going on?

(Family photos, same boy on the same beach. 2018 pictures taken in October one month after the Red Tide effects were declared clean.)

Karenia brevis is a microscopic, red algae species, native to Florida. When you learned about filter feeders from sponges to whales who live on phytoplankton in elementary school, Karena brevis is part of the phytoplankton population. More specifically, it is a dinoflagellate, so it is shaped like a sandwich cookie with multiple tails. Usually, it whirls within the microscopic populations of phytoplankton unnoticed. It eats ammonia and releases oxygen, so to villainize the algae isn’t accurate. Most algae species produce toxins as byproducts of oxygen production too and we take the good with the bad to keep the ecosystem in balance. In 2018, the population exploded.

(NOAA US Navy satellite photo from khou.com )

Karenia brevis lives in larger quantities in the rivers and eats run-off agricultural waste. As the colonies grow larger, pieces break off and float downstream to Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. In 2018, a perfect storm of increased agricultural activities, climate change, and minerals uncovered by erosion made a feast for the algae. Colonies grew to clog the rivers and washed into the bay in giant mats. The mats released large quantities of toxins which were ingested by the herbivores of the bay. As the herbivores were eaten by the predators, they were dosed with large amounts of toxins. In a few weeks, large animals and small ones were washing up on the beach.

(WSPA Local News, Whale Shark succumbed to Red Tide)

The above picture was my inspiration for Bart the Oyster bar owner in my next book, Smoother Than Spumoni. I wanted to give pizzeria heir, Frank Paulino from the Strawberry Shifters, a summer internship which brings him to Florida. Bart the whale shark shifter gives Frank his big break. Being the owner of an oyster bar when fresh oysters are contaminated due to Red Tide, Bart nearly loses his business until Frank saves the day. Frank has been rolling pasta every day since he was old enough to do it. He can turn one piece of rock shrimp into a risotto to feed two people and its shells into a soup.

While Bart’s menu problems seem to be solved, another one takes its place. Red Tide toxins stink. Dead fish stinks. It is a well-known fact that no one vacations on stinky beaches and no tourists means no customers for Bart and the rest of the pack. Not only is the oyster bar struggling but so are the souvenir shops, and Larkin’s Dairy Dip. Larkin’s depends on not only store sales, but sales on the beach from their pedal carts. Not only are their businesses on the line but so is their health. From dolphins to crabs, the Seagrass Shifter pack members are aquatic animals who need time in the water.

Red Tide can be a natural phenomenon but the impact and duration of it on Seagrass Island raises suspicions. They are confirmed by Susie Larkin when she breaks the rules and goes for a swim with her bestie, Jean. Here’s a snippet from Smoother Than Spumoni:

They move quickly, efficiently, and silently, only stopping to check over their shoulders every few minutes. When the exchange is complete, the truck starts again. Even though it is dark, without headlights they navigate unerringly through the native swamp.

“That was weird. You thought it was weird right?”

“Yeah, I want to know what is in those barrels.”

“Let’s leave it alone. We have been gone for months and have no idea how this area has changed. Let’s go home and ask our parents or Wilson.”

“Why? When one look at the label will answer all our questions? Besides, the truck has already left.”

“They could return.”

“As shady as they were acting, they aren’t coming back. Come on—”

“No way, Susie Q. We are going home.” Her voice shakes as she lays down her ultimatum. She can’t abandon me here in case I succumb to Red Tide on the swim home. However, tears have already started rolling down her cheeks. My bestie is terrified.

“You are right. Let’s go ask,” I say calmly. Why upset her more when I can bring a braver companion tomorrow? Surely a demon-slaying werewolf won’t be scared of a few barrels?

 

Will Frank and Susie get to the heart of the conspiracy behind Red Tide or pay the ultimate price? Pre-order Smoother Than Spumoni (on sale for $1.99) and find out on 8/23/2021.

 Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097CLMBTM/

iTunes - https://books.apple.com/us/book/smoother-than-spumoni/id1573010468