Thanks to Chris Frankovich for the photo from The Arroyos, where what is almost certainly the almost-annual algae bloom has shown up. We’ve reported on similar sights most years since the early 2010s; it’s usually a type of algae known as Noctiluca. Experts say it’s not usually toxic – this isn’t what is meant by “red tide” – but can be irritating; it’s a sign of environmental imbalance, including too many “nutrients” in the water. Here’s more info from state scientists. Here’s a sampling of our past reports – from 2011, 2023, and 2024.