Stunning natural event caught on video in Southern California

• In the ocean off the coast of Southern California, bioluminescent microalgae emit a natural blue glow when the water is stirred.

• Finding high concentrations of algae can be hit or miss, but sightings are so common these days that whale watching services are offering cruises for those who want to experience this spectacle for themselves.

• This microalgae, called dinoflagellates, is responsible for the red tides seen during the day and glows when stirred at night.

(KTLA) — For the past month, tour operators along the Southern California coast have been busy tracking a rare phenomenon. pod of killer whales. Now, it offers a completely different experience once the sun goes down.

bioluminescent microalgae Stirring the water creates a natural blue glow.

Finding high concentrations of algae can be hit or miss, but sightings are so common these days that whale watching services are offering cruises for those who want to experience this spectacle for themselves.

“Join us on a journey to discover the bioluminescent glow that lights up the night sky as waves crash against the shoreline, the wake of a ship, the potential swimming of dolphins, schools of large fish, and all the other things that cause blue natural phenomena. “A whale watching company is advertising,” it says. Newport Coastal Adventures A nightly 90 minute cruise.

Bioluminescence put on a spectacular show for Southern California beachgoers in September 2023, and a boogie boarder was caught on video. Cut through the shining waves Located in Huntington Beach.

Nate Jarosz, Senior Director of Fish and Invertebrates Aquarium of the Pacifictold KTLA that microalgae called dinoflagellates are associated with red tide, which is seen during the day and glows when stirred at night.

“It's the same type of organisms that occur during red tide, and when they're in high densities during the day, they turn the water an orange-brown or reddish hue,” he says. “But when they are disturbed at night, they produce bioluminescence. That's why when the waves shake violently, the bioluminescence is activated and the waves appear to glow.”

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