Michelle Sky Hayward, a content creator from Cape Town, South Africa, went viral on Instagram after she posted a video of herself swimming in a thick layer of ocean foam. The video, which had the caption “I fear I have made a terrible mistake,” raised many questions online.

Some people were worried that she had swum in dirty water. One user commented, “I hope she knows that foam is from a nearby sewer pipe.” Another said, “The ocean is literally the biggest toilet in the world.” Many viewers thought the foam could be sewage or polluted waste.

However, other people who are familiar with the sea explained that the foam is not always dangerous. They said that seafoam is usually a natural thing. It forms when the seawater gets stirred up and mixes with organic matter like proteins, fats, and broken-down algae. This creates a foamy layer, especially during rough waves or after algae blooms.

Michelle later posted another video replying to the people’s concerns. She said, “I accidentally went viral for ‘swimming in sewage,’ and I wanted to answer some of your questions.” She also explained, “I’m not a tourist. I live in Cape Town, and I swim in the sea regularly, at least once a week.”

She said she did not get sick after the swim. “If anything, it boosted my immune system,” she joked. She also said, “It smelt like the normal ocean smell. I didn’t smell anything.”

She admitted that the water looked more cloudy than usual and there was more foam. But she enjoyed it. “I honestly loved the foam. I felt like I was in a bubble bath. I literally felt like a mermaid in a bubble bath. I had so much fun because the water felt a bit warmer than usual.”

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