During one calm day in March 2025, Samantha noticed something unusual: thick, persistent sea foam spread across the water near West Island.

It was far more extensive than anything seen before, and instinctively it seemed wrong. 

With guidance from Faith and Peri Coleman, Samantha learned how to use the equipment, how to prepare samples, and how to identify phytoplankton. 

What stood out most was the absence of historical baseline data. There was no clear record of what “normal” looked like for these coastal waters. The only option was to document what was present now and to keep watching.

From that need, Samantha created an open Facebook group, Phytoplankton of South Australia, making all findings public and transparent.

More information

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1315762396637652

https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?project_id=249644

Photo Credit

Lynlee Johnson

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