09.07.2020: Jubilee on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay

Today is Labor Day September 7, 2020, it is approximately 7am. We’re in Montrose Alabama on the Eastern shore of Mobile Bay engaging with a natural extraordinary phenomenon called a jubilee. From our observations the Jubilee stretched about a half mile or so From Steadman’s Landing North.
Jubilees on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay have been recorded all the way down to Mullet point which is about 15 miles away. But we don’t know how far this one went as we didn’t see it occurring much past Steadmans Landing or the Sibley public entrance. In fact we noticed so little there that we hopped on our paddle boards and headed north where we heard reports of big flounder.
A jubilee can only happen if very specific conditions exist. Basically they only occur in the summer, usually before sunrise. The day’s before the jubilee the weather conditions must include an overcast or cloudy day, a gentle wind from the east, and a calm and slick bay surface. Also, a rising tide is necessary; and any changes can stop the jubilee. It takes a combination of all these conditions to produce this extraordinary phenomenon.
Jubilees are caused primarily by up-wellings in which oxygen-poor bottom waters force bottom-type fish and crustaceans ashore. This happens due to shifts in salty water layering when the bay is calm and stagnate.
The stagnation is caused by salinity stratification, or layering effect, with the heavier salty Gulf water below lighter, fresher river water. Stratification or layering prevents movement of oxygen from the air into the bottom salty water.
These deep water pockets tend to collect plant matter washed into the bay from the marshes and swamps upstream. As this plant matter decomposes, it provides food for the microorganisms in the water. An abundant food supply combined with the warm water temperature causes a population explosion.
As these microorganisms grow and multiply, they consume tremendous quantities of oxygen. This takes away even more oxygen from the bottom water in the deep pockets.
Due to the lack of oxygen, these jubilee-affected fish and shellfish cannot carry out normal muscular activities, such as swimming. They move slowly and seem reluctant to swim even to escape capture. Some creatures die during jubilees and others are caught by Jubilee enthusiasts.
Many believe Jubilees of this magnitude occur only in two places in the whole world, Tokyo Bay in Japan and here in Mobile Bay.
*Information provided by the Auburn University Marine Extension & Research Center
Ps. Another reason why we have Jubilees in the summer time is because warm water holds less oxygen than cold water, thus depleting the Oxygen (02) levels even more.
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Thanks to renowned musician Chris Spies (on the keys) of Fairhope, AL for the perfect accompaniment to the sights and sounds of Mobile Bay.