thedailywhat:
Lights Out: Surfers generate beautiful bioluminescent waves off the coast of San Diego by disturbing a bloom of warmwater phytoplankton Lingulodinium polyedrum, causing a chemical reaction which produces a flash of blue light.
Though red tide can be harmful in certain circumstances, this particular algal bloom has a low-level toxicity that is safe to swim in.
[latimes / io9.]
It wasn’t this blue when we went for our bonfire the other week, and it was more of a bright green-blue than this awesome blue. But everyone was like “OH GOOD GOD THE WATER IS GLOWING GREEN” and I was like “Uh, it’s just the red tide, you guys…”
But also I fear I might have worried my twitter followers when I suddenly tweeted THE OCEAN IS GLOWING GREEN YOU GUYS at like 10:30 at night. It’s a legit occurrence, though. If it’s still going on in two weeks when I go to our next bonfire I’ll be sure to record a video of it~
All in all, it’s something short of surreal to stand out in the surf at 11:30 at night when there are no lights and watch the glowing green waves crash to the shore.