MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — A week after Hurricane Milton swept through, Marco Island beachgoers are dealing with an unusual problem - a foul stench coming from thousands of rotting pen shells washed ashore.
“It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen,” one beachgoer said, noting that the smell was hard to ignore.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said pen shells are common in shallow waters along the state’s coast, and often wash up after storms. While the empty shells now line the sand at South Beach, visitors still ventured out to enjoy the view.
WATCH AS BEACHGOERS REACT TO THE UNUSUAL SIGHT:
"Fortunately, it looks like the beach crew is taking care of it, so everyone here can still enjoy the beach," one vacationer said.
City officials said the shells are not a cause for concern.
"There’s some smell on the beach, but nature will take care of it," City Manager Michael McNees said. "Collier County will clean up the worst of it," he added.
At around noon on Wednesday, several crews had begun moving the shells away.
The island faced some challenges in the aftermath of the storm, namely localized flooding and power outages. Over a quarter of residents lost power, but nearly all electricity had been restored as of Wednesday afternoon.
"Lee County Electric has everyone but one or two customers back up," McNees said. While some residents also lost cable and internet, services have mostly been restored," he added.
McNees credited the community’s response to local evacuation orders for the city’s safety during the storm. "From a city standpoint, we fared extremely well, and it was a good drill for us," McNees said.
"I’d like to remind everyone that we haven’t really been tested yet, and that applies to all of us on Marco Island," he said.
