California coast is glowing bright blue again, thanks to bioluminescence. Take a look

Maddie Capron
·2 min read

The California ocean is making a dog look like he has magical powers as he paddles through the water, video shows.

With every movement Balto the dog makes, a cloud of bright, glowing blue illuminates the water, the video photographer Patrick Coyne posted on Instagram shows. It’s not magic, though. It’s nature.

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A post shared by Patrick Coyne (@patrickc_la)

The glowing blue waters are thanks to bioluminescent organisms along the California coast. The phenomenon happened last year as well, when glowing dinoflagellate plankton made it look like dolphins could glow in the dark or like a glow stick had broken into the ocean.

Coyne posted the video Tuesday from Newport Beach. He said he doesn’t know how long the glow will last this time.

“I can’t believe the bioluminescence is back again,” Coyne said in the post. “Two separate events now in 2021. Last months event lasted about a week but Mother Nature has decided to gift us with some more bio goodness.”

Bioluminescence is the ability of organisms to create and emit light when chemical reactions happen, according to NOAA. Marine animals can use it to communicate, lure in their next meal or emit light to ward off predators, according to the Smithsonian Institute.

It’s fairly common in creatures that live in the open ocean, according to NOAA. About 90% of species living in waters below 1,640 feet can use bioluminescence.

“Humans primarily see bioluminescence triggered by a physical disturbance, such as waves or a moving boat hull, that gets the animal to show their light off, but often animals light up in response to an attack or in order to attract a mate,” the Smithsonian Institute reported on its website. “Bioluminescent organisms live throughout the water column, from the surface to the seafloor, from near the coast to the open ocean.”

People started spotting this year’s bioluminescence show this week, and they posted their proof to social media.

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A post shared by Newport Beach, CA (@newportbeach)

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A post shared by Mark Girardeau (@markgirardeau)

“These big blue waves were crashing the past few nights,” an Instagram account for Newport Beach wrote. “It was definitely a sight to see!”

Californians aren’t the the only ones watching their coast turn neon blue. People in Washington have reported the waves glowing off their coast as well, McClatchy News reported.

“I am excited to announce that bioluminescent season has begun,” Matt Nichols wrote on Facebook. “After all of these nice weather days, I had a hunch that it might be here, and sure enough, I found vibrant blue glowing waves … Hoping this is the start of a very active bioluminescent season!”

Eerie blue glow illuminates Washington coastline, photos show. What caused it?

California’s ocean waters are glowing in the dark — and the videos are stunning

Watch ‘glowing’ dolphins light up the ocean waters in stunning California video

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