SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) – Red tide has made an unwelcome return to the area.

Monday was a seemingly beautiful beach day, but once visitors reached the shoreline, they were greeted with an unwelcome sight and stench. Thousands of dead fish now line the sand along Lido Beach.

“I love fish, but I want them to be on a fishing pole, not on the beach stinking up,” said Randy Comstock.

Signs at the lifeguard towers warn visitors to watch where they step and to beware of possible respiratory irritation as a result of the red tide presence in the area.

Scientists with Mote Marine Laboratory are monitoring the bloom and have confirmed the presence of red tide through sampling. Mote has conducted field deployment testing and continues to analyze the results, as more details on the findings are expected later this week.

Visitors from up north made the most of their time at the beach, despite the conditions. Most set up their beach umbrellas and laid out their towels, further away from the Gulf than you’d see on any ordinary day.

“It started a couple days ago and I started coughing so I could feel the red tide was coming this way,” said Sandy Widder.

Sandy and her husband Mike are visiting the area from Pennsylvania. As a result of the red tide conditions, they spent the day shelling rather than fishing.

“It is what it is. We are here for a while, so it is not like it is a wasted day. The sun is out, it is beautiful, and we are in Florida. It is 30 degrees in Pennsylvania,” said the Widders.

Despite the unpleasant sights and smells, visitors made the most of their day on the beach.

“There’s nothing like this I’ve ever seen before, it is crazy, but we thought if we came far enough from the water, we could still hear the ocean and we don’t have to smell it,” said Danielle Rothberg visiting from New York.

“The ocean is always calming, even if it is angry,” said Utah resident Chad Thompson.

On Monday, the county health department conducted sampling at local beaches. Those results are expected to be released later this week.