Help! It's the stinky kelp

[depakid]

Sand, sea and slime ... beachgoers survey the huge amounts of kelp that have washed up at North Steyne.
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IT'S green, it's stinky and it's on a beach near you.

Mountains of rotting kelp has been washed onto Sydney's northern beaches, with North Steyne at Manly suffering from the worst of the foul-smelling weed.

Manly Council senior lifeguard Steve Hartley said: "The weed was ripped off the bomboras during the massive 10-to-12-foot swell a couple of weeks ago and it has worked its way in to shore. "It has been out to sea for a while. I was out surfing in it a few days ago and now it has washed onto the beach."

Mr Hartley said the kelp was packed with nutrients and would be allowed to rot on the beach and replenish the sand. "People complain about it but it is really a natural process. The smell comes from a tubular weed called cunji which was ripped off the rocks at the same time as the kelp and absolutely reeks.

"You are not allowed to move it unless it gets really bad," he said. However, many members of the public collect bags of the weed and take it home to soak in fresh water before using it to fertilise gardens.

More: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/help-its-the-stinky-kelp-20090411-a3dw.html
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Cheaper than heading out to the country and getting bags of this stuff:



(not sure how it's collected- must be some vacuum type deal).

[Warpy]

1. I used to go to beaches after storms

and collect the eel grass that had washed up to use as garden mulch.

It would eventually break down and do wonderful things for the soil.

[XemaSab]

2. Useless fact I learned in Range Management:

90% of sheep poo is deposited over 15% of the paddock area.

And yes, that would be my pick for Worst Research Project Ever. x(

[applegrove]

3. My aunt used to grow potatoes in sea kelp. We used to kid her....so

do the potatoes come out already salted?