Red Tide on the Monty Canal

Old chum Richard Smith sez:

Was driving through Wales at the weekend, and went over what used to be a humpback bridge over the Shropshire & Montgomery Canal. 

This was a bridge which was demolished nearly 30 years ago.  And I thought that the canal to the left had been tarmacked [along with it].

But it hadn't been!  It's  like this up to the Carreghofa Locks, quite a few hundred yards away.

What is it?   I assume this is the 'red algae', also known as the Red Tide, aka Grateloupia Luxurians, which DEFRA is putting on a blacklist of invasive species, as described by the Telegraph a few months ago. 

Like many invasive species, it looks quite spectacular.

Comments

[Mrs. Mecomber]

I had no idea the algae flourished in anything but tropical waters. Amazing. And disgusting.

[Andrew Denny]

Perhaps we should pitch the red algae against the Japanese Knotweed, in a titanic 'Godzilla vs The Thing' type of battle?

[Richard Fairhurst]

I'm guessing that the fabled floating water plantain finds it hard to compete with this red stuff. Such a terrible shame.

[Sven Latham]

Looks like a Red Weed scene from War of the Worlds. Have the aliens attacked since last time I was up that way?

[Paul Grainger]

It's the new "Shropshire & Montgomery Cycle Path". The remains of the old canal can be seen in the green bit to the right.