Florida’s West Coast Beaches Glowing With Sparkling Bioluminescence

Blue bioluminescent waves are seen crashing on the shoreline in Manhattan Beach, Calif., on April 28, 2020. Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

Beachgoers on Florida’s west coast are being treated to glowing waves rippling on the sands at night.

The striking hues of iridescent green and blue are a phenomenon called bioluminescence.

Witnesses spotted the shimmering in the water off Anna Maria Island in September, according to a report from The Bradenton Herald.

Bioluminescence is a form of light production via chemical reaction, according to an NOAA report. While the phenomenon is often blue or blue-green, bioluminescence can also exhibit bright purple, violet, green-yellow, and red colors.

Nearly 80 percent of animals in the water above the ocean floor produce bioluminescent light, according to a report from Dr. Sonke Johnsen, professor of biology at Duke University.

It is most common in fish, squid, and organisms made mostly of water—like jellyfish, siphonophores, and comb jellies, Dr. Johnsen said.

The luciferase enzyme that causes the reaction in aquatic environments is the same one found in fireflies and certain fungi, he said.

Bioluminescent jellyfish on display in New York. Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images

While bioluminescence is common among marine animals, the glow seen off Florida beaches is emitted by single-cell algae blooms in the water, local researchers say.

These single-cell algae organisms are called dinoflagellates, the same class encompassing red tide, Dr. Jay Leverone told The Epoch Times.

Dr. Leverone is a staff scientist at the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program.

But unlike the red tide, most bioluminescent algae is non-toxic and poses no threat to humans, he said.

Florida recently faced a seaweed crisis it seems to have dodged, according to an oceanographer.

While the algae believed to be responsible for the bioluminescence seen off Anna Maria Island—Pyrodinium bahamense and Noctiluca scintillans—Dr. Leverone said it could also be Gonyaulax polygramma.

But since there are so many algae species that produce bioluminescence, it’s impossible to tell without taking a water sample, he said.

There’s also no indication that these algae blooms are increasing or decreasing in recent years, Dr. Leverone said.

“Sometimes people want to say it’s happening because of this or that, and it’s just one of the wonders of the modern world.

“Enjoy it—it is not harmful. And just be awed by the variety and the spectacle of nature,” he said.

While the varieties of algae that exhibit luminosity are numerous, the chemistry is the same.

The organisms responsible have an enzyme called luciferase that reacts with oxygen in the water—feeding the bioluminescence in a similar way to fire—but gives off light instead of extreme heat, the NOAA report said.

Bioluminescence is the blue-glowing wonder caused by microalgae called dinoflagellates, seen in the Indian River Lagoon near Titusville, Fla., on June 20, 2020. Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel/TNS

The oxidation of the enzyme creates visible light via a new molecule called oxyluciferin. As long as enough luciferin and oxygen are present, the organism will continue to produce a glow in the water, according to the report.

The most prevalent marine algae that emit light are dinoflagellates, with Noctiluca scintillans being a common variant, according to WebMD.

The chemical reaction that produces the light is instigated by movement in the water or changes in the environment, such as sudden drops in ocean salinity.

Bioluminescent algae can also be caused by calm and warm seas, according to Australia’s Department for Environment and Water. The light is often seen when a wave agitates the enzymes in the water, often causing a brilliant blue-green glow.

Scientists recently recorded “scary” sea water temperatures—up to and beyond 107 degrees—near the Florida Keys.

Witnessing the Marvel

Mariah Nicole spotted glowing waves off the coast of Newport Beach, California, on Sept. 10. She was watching videos on the bioluminescence in Orange County and decided to join a local Facebook group on the subject.

Posters shared daily updates on the best locations to witness the marvel.

“The waves looked neon blue as they would crash along the shore. The intensity of the bioluminescence would come and go, so sometimes it looked brighter.

“You could see a lot of blue waves in the specific area, but since it was foggy that evening, I couldn’t see much down the shore,” Ms. Nicole said.

Seeing it with her own eyes was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, she said.