What Do They Call The Blue/green Water In S.florida And Caribbean Oceans?

[poolmeister3]

What do they call the Blue/Green/Clear water found on the coast in South Florida such as Miami and all throughout the Caribbean? Is there a specific name they call it or how do they describe it?

[Dr. Spa]

Sea water?

[poolmeister3]

Further up the coast, like from Central Florida all the way up the East Coast, the ocean is Very Dark Blue and you cannot see thru it....down in South Florida and in the Caribbean, the ocean water is a much lighter Blue/Green and it is Clear, meaning you can see thru it in most places. I know it has something to do with the algae, but I was wondering if there was an actual name for that type of water or if it was called something specific.

[waterbear]

Further up the coast, like from Central Florida all the way up the East Coast, the ocean is Very Dark Blue and you cannot see thru it....down in South Florida and in the Caribbean, the ocean water is a much lighter Blue/Green and it is Clear, meaning you can see thru it in most places.

I have to disagree. I grew up in Miami, then moved to Broward county and now live in N. Fl a half block form the Atlantic and a half block from the intercoastal so I see the ocean daily. I have been on beaches all up an down the east coast of Florida and the keys and beaches on the west coast from Tampa and south. I have also been to the Carribiean several times, The water can be just a clear up here near Jax and St. Augutine (I live in betweeon) as it can in Miami and the Keys.I was just by the beach, the water was a smooth as glass, and I could see to the bottom. If there are a lot of currents stirring things up the water loses clarity but if it still it is clear. A lot has to do with the bottom material. If it is sand it tends to sink and the water stays clear. Most of the east coast Florida beaches are sand but if there is more clay or silt (such as some of the mangrove areas in miami) the water is much less clear.

[stuamurr]

The closer you get to to equator, the lower the tidal movement also, whilst theres plenty if sand beaches in the northern hemisphere, the tidal currents are that much stronger that particulates are mobilised creating cloudy water.

[poolmeister3]

The difference between these two types of water:

Any reason for the differing color of the water other than algae? Maybe sunlight or other matter in the water?

[PoolGuyNJ]

The depth, the amount of algae, the color of the bottom.

Scott

[Dr. Spa]

Why is water blue?

http://aquamagazine.com/content/post/Why-Is-Water-Blue.aspx

[PoolGuyNJ]

That was for pools. A lot is similar with oceans and lakes but they have some significant differences. Like depth, types of algae, type of bottom....

Scott

[waterbear]

The difference between these two types of water:

Any reason for the differing color of the water other than algae? Maybe sunlight or other matter in the water?

Well for starters, the first is open sea and the second is coastal water and a lot more shallow! Also, the color tones of the two photos are different since the sky is exhibiting the same colorations as the water. The upper pic has a much bluer sky while the second is more aqua (like the water). Since the sky should not be aqua I wouls say the second pic has the color balance changed. You can also notice this in the clouds. In the second pic there is more yellow while the first one they are a cooler (bluer) white.