Duxbury Beach was closed yesterday when water quality tests taken on Wednesday showed a bacteria count of 3900 CFU/100ml. In 2011, all Duxbury Beach water quality tests had a count of just 10 CFU/100 ml. The Board of Health said the water was tested again yesterday, the results of which will be available today at noon. Harbormaster Don Beers said it's not unusual for him to have to re-sample the water because the ocean is filled with wildlife that contribute to bacteria levels. He noted that none of the other five swimming areas he tests weekly were affected and that the water sample he took only 50 yards from the one deemed unfit by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health contained safe levels. As a precaution, Beers takes the weekly samples between 3 and 5 a.m. so as to have no interference from human activity.

"What makes this a great town is our natural resources," said Beers. "We share the ocean with other animals. We do not live in a sterile world; we live with wildlife... Clearly it came from a warm-blooded animal, probably a seal."

The results of yesterday’s sample will be posted on the Massachusetts Department of Public Health beach Web site later today: http://mass.digitalhealthdepartment.com/public_21/beaches.cfm?btown=Duxbury and the Clipper will update the beach’s status as soon as the results are available.