I grew up going to the beaches in Jersey/Delaware/S Carolina/Galveston and had only ever known the murky waters that smelled of fish from blocks away. When I got older, I went to Miami, Key West, Destin, and Hawaii and have experienced true crystal clear waters with no smell. They’re all in different areas, some clear/murky waters share the same ocean/gulf. Why does the water present differently?
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There are many factors.
muddy bottom means muddy water. Sandy or rocky bottom means clean water.
Large rivers nearby flowing into the sea will add mud to the water.
Shallow waters get muddy easier.
Frequent or recent storms kick up the mud from the bottom.
Ocean currents carry the mud away.
Tropical waters are nutrient poor. Meaning fewer microbes and clear waters. Temperate waters are more productive. More microbes, more stuff to make the water greener/browner
The beaches of Texas have a brown sand that is light so it stay suspended in the water. The sand is easily disturbed so the waves keep it churned up. If you look a couple hundred yards off shore you can see the clear blue waters.
The white sand beaches in Florida have white sand that is heavier so it settles out of the water quicker. That’s why you have clear water right up to the beach
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