CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Algae is collecting in the Anglers Canal in South Cape Coral, and also collecting plenty of attention.
The canal backs up to several homes off Country Club Boulevard, including the home of one woman who reached out to Fox 4.
When Fox 4 first arrived on the canal around 11:00 Thursday morning, there was definitely a smell around the canal. It was a musty, earthy scent. When looking at it, you could get a sense of how thick the layer might be, especially seeing dead fish and debris trapped in the algae.
“With the heat booming, we’re in the middle of summer, it’s 94 degrees right now, so it starts stinking,” said Sabrina Quinn, the woman who is renting a home on the canal. "It’s pretty concerning because we wonder if it's going to bloom or start rotting, it’s going to stink, it’s going to start smelling, it’s going to effect the wildlife.”
Quinn moved to Cape Coral about six months ago from Germany. Now in her new home, she is faced with a challenge she has never seen before - a thick layer of algae invading the waters where she and her family spend so much time. She tells Fox 4 that it started last week when patches started forming. She didn't think much of it at first, but as the patches started to fully cover the water behind her home...
“We became worried that it was the toxic blue-green algae," Quinn said.
According to the City, it's not the toxic blue-green algae. Quinn told Fox 4 the city of Cape Coral sent and email on Tuesday stating a sample of the algae was tested. She She then received a later with the results.
“This type of algae is not toxic or harmful. It’s not algae that is dangerous to wildlife. Currently the city of Cape Coral is seeking solutions to address the solution, such as harvesting or removal," Quinn read from the letter.
The fact that the algae was not toxic still didn't give her much comfort.
"Well look at it. You see it. It’s not pretty. It smells. We can’t even go out here anymore," Quinn said.
She did have concerns that she wanted answered from the City. We reached out multiple times. The city did acknowledge our request, but have yet to provide answers.
Around 5 p.m. on Thursday, Fox 4 went back to the canal and a majority of the algae was cleared out.
