Dismay at sea lettuce 'soup'

Cathy Campbell and children Hope, 15, and Caleb, 14, were put off swimming at Papamoa yesterday. Photo / Andrew Warner

A "pea soup" of sea lettuce has put some people off swimming at Papamoa - although others are not worried.

A long stretch of beach along Papamoa has been affected by a large dumping of sea lettuce, particularly at Harrison's Cut where it was particularly thick.

Kaimai resident Cathy Campbell, who is holidaying in Papamoa with her two children Hope, 15, and Caleb, 14, said the water at Harrison's Cut looked like pea soup.

"This is the first year we've seen it like that, we're local but we come to Papamoa each year to go camping.

"Last year the waves were huge and the water was clear and we had a fun week of camping. This year, we don't even want to get in the water. It's like pea soup."

She said it had been bad for at least five days.

Mrs Campbell said there was bad sea lettuce at Leisure Island on Sunday, but that was not as bad as she had seen at Papamoa.

"It's dreadful at low tide."

Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club patrol captain Shaun Smith said he did not think people were too worried about the sea lettuce and there were still hundreds of people in the water yesterday.

There were between 400 and 500 people in the water along the 1km stretch of beach near the surf club yesterday.

Mr Smith said sea lettuce came and went in summer.