Diving in the UK can be unpredictable. One day you have crystal-clear water, and the next week, it’s like swimming in pea soup. Often, the culprit is algae blooms. These tiny, often unseen invaders can turn a perfect dive into a murky mess, and they’re not something you can spot just by checking the weather.
We’ve just launched a game-changing feature that’ll help you see the underwater world more clearly—literally.
Introducing our new algae bloom level charts, available now on Marla Blue anywhere around the UK and Ireland! Now, instead of guessing or relying solely on weather forecasts, you can check the algae trends at your favourite dive spots for the past week.
Algae bloom recorded at St Johns Point, Donegal, Ireland over the past week
High algae levels, slowly decreasing at Castle Rocks, Aberystwyth, Wales
What you’ll find in the algae bloom charts
When you open a dive spot, you’ll see a chart showing the past week’s algae data for any spot around the British and Irish coasts. It’s like having a crystal ball for diving conditions—see how algae levels have changed day by day and decide whether it’s worth taking the plunge. While the most recent data we get from the satellites is from two days ago, you can observe the trend which indicate today’s underwater conditions.
If the levels are high or very high - there's probably an algae bloom in the area - you might want to choose another dive spot.
Decreasing levels of algae at Green Ends Gully, Northumberland, UK brings a forecasted 8-12m of visibility!
Get out there and report back how your dive was! Did we get it right? Every dive report helps us improve the visibility forecasting model.
The ocean algae bloom data
The algae data is provided by the European Space Agency’s satellite Copernicus, and we take the best resolution available for the algae bloom charts.
We already use this data in our underwater visibility forecasting model - this is a key piece of data that enables us to provide divers with our ground-breaking ocean visibility forecasts for anywhere around the UK.
Algae isn't the only factor in predicting underwater visibility - the visibility is impacted by many other factors, including the recent wind, rain, swell, and the sea bed type. Marla models the algae level and all the other factors to create the dive visibility forecast. Low algae won't necessarily mean good visibility!
Very high algae recorded at Selwick Bay, Yorkshire, UK resulting in poor visibility at this dive spot.
This probably indicates an algae bloom in this area.
Dive in with Marla Blue
This algae level feature is just the latest step in our journey to provide the best diving forecasts available. With our visibility forecasts and now the addition of algae level charts, you can make more informed decisions about where and when to dive. No more surprises, no more murky water ruining your plans. It’s all about giving you the tools you need to dive safely and enjoyably, every time.
The visibility forecast and the algae bloom levels are what the data is telling us - but we need your help to understand if if the data is correct! Whenever you get in the water, let us know if we were right by reporting the viz. Each visibility report helps us calibrate the data, and improve the accuracy of what we show you.
Ready to take the guesswork out of your dive planning? Check out the new algae bloom level charts on Marla Blue today:
Medium to low levels of algae over the past week at Smugglers Cove, Devon, UK
Very low algae levels recorded over the past week at Port Gaverne, Cornwall, UK, resulting in an amazing forecast of 8-12m visibility!
Get out there and report back! Did we get it right?
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