Nighttime visits to the west coast of California are magical these days. Here, the bioluminescent plankton is creating breathtaking displays after dark. These glowing plankton are giving visitors to the beach some much-needed cheer.
Just a few days ago, Patrick Coyne, a Californian photographer, shared a stunning video of dolphins swimming through glowing blue waters. The video shows two dolphins, glowing blue and swimming just below the surface.
In a Facebook post, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography explained this phenomenon. “Red tides are due to aggregations of dinoflagellates including Ceratium falcatiforme and Lingulodinium polyedra, the latter of which is well known for its bioluminescent displays, with waves or movement in the water causing the phytoplankton to glow neon blue at night,” the SIO wrote. “During the day, the water appears to have a reddish hue, hence the term red tide.”
They go on to mention, “We don’t know how long the current red tide will last, as previous events have lasted anywhere from one week to a month or more, but scientists are continuing to monitor. For your best shot at viewing the ocean’s light show, head to a dark beach at least two hours after sunset.”