It's often said that a picture is worth 1,000 words, which is definitely the case when it comes to the waters around Qingdao, the site of the Olympic sailing competition. There are few people who would want to take a dip in water affected by one of the worst algae blooms in history.
Over 5,000 square miles of sea is now thick with rubbery-spinach like clumps of algae, posing a huge threat to the upcoming sailing competitions. Most residents and tourists remain optimistic that the 100,000 volunteers will be able to clean up the water in time for the Olympics, but this will be no easy task.
With over a month to go, and over 1,000 boats helping clean, it's possible that organizers will be able to control the damage. At the very least, this could be the most extreme Olympic sailing competition ever.