Water Color

[valentin_84]

Hey guys, I've been lookin at some of the posted pics and was wondering why some of the pics are in crappy brown water and some are in clear blue or green water. What's the deal, is it sea-weed or nasty stuff runnin into the beach?

[surferdude_scarborough]

its usually silt from rivermouths etc making water brown.

[jaffa1949]

Hey guys, I've been lookin at some of the posted pics and was wondering why some of the pics are in crappy brown water and some are in clear blue or green water. What's the deal, is it sea-weed or nasty stuff runnin into the beach?

You can usually tell if it's crappy water quality but the time of day and angle of the sun determines a lot of water colour and of course whether its a blue sky.
Temperature of the day also changes things then you can add what the sea bottom is where you are shooting.
Tropics generally throw up the best colours.

[PapaW]

Yep Silt, Peat,dead sheep etc.. gotta love Ireland.

[naniekso]

sometimes at my break here at laguna beach, right before teh clouds are disapearing teh water turns a super light blue/green. it looks soooo nice.

[PapaW]

The greens and blues come from the content of algae/plankton in the water as well as what the sky is like... ie blue sky blue see!

I'm sure the oceanographers amongst us will give a better explanation.