SO we're all hanging out on the beach in Padre Island TX (corpus Christi) and we get allergy symptoms: Coughing almost as soon as we drive up. People have rashs this morning; my eyes are seroiusly dry and burning. (pretty much the only symptom anyone had last night was coughing)

Anyone got any Ideas? I was thinking red Tide, but none of us got in the water AND I didn't think red tide came out this far west. There was a strong wind in from the ocean.

10/8/2006 12:36:35 PM

How long since you left home?

you may want to consider such things like poison ivy & the like, prior to your party having left to go to the beach.

10/8/2006 12:42:03 PM

well we all had the cough.... but yea... only one person got the rash so I guess she could have gotten in some crap, but there's not alot of poison ivy around here. Anyway, this sucks!

10/8/2006 12:59:32 PM

my understanding is that red tide can occur from the atlantic to the pacific including the gulf. I haven't heard anything about a bloom in the gulf region but I wouldn't be surprised with all the nutrients that were released into the water during and following Katrina.

and I just searched and found this

Quote :

"Red tide along the West Coast of Florida The dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, or K.brevis, which is the predominant red tide organism in the Gulf of Mexico (and can also occur on the Atlantic side of the Florida coast) can kill fish in vast numbers, make shellfish poisonous to humans, and release toxic airborne irritants that drive coastal residents and tourists from beaches. "

http://www.gulfpreserve.org/redtide/default.aspx

[Edited on October 8, 2006 at 1:10 PM. Reason : .]


OK check this out and draw your own conclusions. I am almost certain that this is what you got.

Quote :

"Red tide continues to persist in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel at Port Aransas near the University of Texas Marine Science Institute."

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/environconcerns/hab/redtide/status.phtml

You'll have to check the current report by calling the number listed below and check to see if the location you went to matches the known bloom areas.

(800) 792-1112
Select 4, then select 9 , then select 2 to hear the most recent report.


[Edited on October 8, 2006 at 1:22 PM. Reason : quote]

10/8/2006 1:06:38 PM

Quote :

"Hwy 361 Causeway extending to Corpus Christi Flats to near the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Streaks of red tide were also seen in the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area. One other patch of red tide was seen in the area of Shamrock Island, including East Flats to the north and Mustang Island to the east. "

thanks for the link man... that's exactly where I was.

10/8/2006 4:05:36 PM