What's In That Sea Foam?

The beaches here are really quite a sight,

And once the sun sets you’ll see the stars at night

But there’s more around than what just meets our eye;

There’s krill and plankton and organic matter, oh my!

It’s all in the sea foam that washes ashore,

Bubbling like a washer that’s spinning galore!

But what’s in that sea foam might startle you a bit

You see it’s chock full of all kinds of animal… 

…stuff.

When all the sea’s creatures go swimming about

They eat and they feast and it’s all got to come out!

So they empty their tummies out into the sea,

And it washes ashore all soft and sparkly

But it isn’t just poo that makes up the stuff;

Off-shore algae, proteins, and lipids contribute to sea fluff.

When the ocean is calm there’s not much to be seen,

But when the ocean is churned up and angry and mean

The matter and proteins and lipids all mix,

And as if like magic they do a cool trick!

The green waves start a-curling and bubbling begins

And the sea foam gets fluffy as it comes rolling in.

In the bubbles you’ll see colors from the sun’s brilliant rays

As the bright light refracts on warm sunny days

But when the wind begins blowing and the clouds become gray

The beaches might become covered with sea foam for days

Thick sea foam can indicate trouble’s offshore,

Like when hurricanes and Nor’easters are at our back door.

But no matter the weather or time of the year

You’re bound to see sea foam on beaches far and near.

It’s bubbly and sparkly and we all love the fluff,

But before you pick it up, think about what’s in the stuff.