COCOA BEACH, Fla. — After weeks of anticipation, the first of a seaweed mat so large it can be seen from space has arrived in Central Florida.

Estimated to stretch roughly 5,000 miles, experts say the mass of seaweed — called sargassum — is possibly one of the largest to ever wash up on Space Coast beaches.

Spectrum News went to the beach to see how much seaweed has come ashore so far.

It was a blustery day at the Cocoa Beach Pier as onshore winds kicked up the surf, and washed the sargassum onto the sand.

Ashley Lacombe and family were passing through on their way back to Key West, and she said she's not surprised to see that he seaweed has made it to Florida's east coast.

"Quite a bit more than we would wish, it stinks," Lacombe said.

Experts say the 5,000-mile bloom developed earlier this year — and now currents and the wind has brought it to the Brevard County beaches.

"I'm hoping we don't have as much," Lacombe said. "It really messes with the tourist season."

Experts say this latest sargassum surge is 20% larger than the previous record set back in 2019.

They say the floating seaweed bloom could be fueled by nutrients from the Amazon River flowing into the ocean, and fires in Africa.

Sargassum washes up on Brevard County beaches every year, usually starting in May — and once it's here, it rots on the beach, creating a stinky mess.

Officials with Keep Brevard Beautiful say they don't typically clean it up, preferring to let nature take it's course.

But with the amount that may stack up on the beach from the incoming mass, they may have no choice. 

"There's got to be something they can do before it piles up," she said.

County and tourism leaders, plus Keep Brevard Beautiful, say they are overseeing any potential plan to remove the seaweed from area beaches.