what makes the seaside smell

[mollykins]

like the seaside?

it's something like gas burping bug or bacteria or something, can anyone confirm this, I think they just mentioned it on coast.

[benny3008]

fish!

[bibblebub]

you've just missed it on Coast (BBC2)

[20SilkCut]

the salt water, the seaweed maybe?

[Prudie]

I thought it was ozone (unless there's a dead fish on the beach)

[mollykins]

bibble, I just kind of heard it on coast, but was confused, can anyone confirm any of this?

[society]

A combination of many things; name it or imagine it and it's found or was dumped in the sea.

[mollykins]

There's hardly any seaweed round here but it still smells seasideyful.

[boxtops]

Wellington Dock was certainly smelling very briny the other morning. We don't get much seaweed, perhaps that's why we don't often sniff "the seaside smell" round here. Diesel can be the principal smell if there's an on-shore wind.

[bibblebub]

i bubble a bit when i go for a swim, that must add a little

[mollykins]

yuck.

[boxtops]

They say that that is one of the worst aspect of cross-Channel swimming - not the huge ships, not the tides, it's the turds.

[LazyGun]

Here is an article about the "sea side smell", which was what they talked about on "Coast". Basically, it is claimed that it is DMS ( DiMethylSulphide), given off by the millions of tonnes of microbes living on seaweed etc. Link below to an article talking about it.

http://www.sciencedai...7/02/070201144849.htm

[Answerprancer]

I'm so glad no-one posted "ozone!" - that would have set off the QI AAAOOOGAH in my mind.

[chakka35]

Exactly as LazyGun says. Definitely not ozone, which is not good to breathe.

[thetruthhurts]

Have you met the wife.............?