Health officials in Santa Cruz County have warned the public to avoid entering the water in three of Santa Cruz’s most popular beaches: Cowell Beach, Main Beach and Rio del Mar Beach. They say that the water is unsanitary because of high levels of bacteria there, which they suspect is being caused by rotting kelp. According to Heal the Bay, “Waters with increased bacteria concentrations has been associated with increased risks to human health, such as stomach flu, nausea, skin rashes, eye infections and respiratory illness.”
Cowell Beach, which lies to the west of the Wharf, is considered to be the one of the best places in the world to learn to surf. It was also named by Heal the Bay as the most polluted beach in all of California. The advisory by the County of Santa Cruz Health Services is being largely ignored by beachgoers. Read more at KSBW.
