Monday, October 3, 2011

amazing night {bioluminescent Red Tide waves}

(we were not able to get good pix, but this pic of the Red Tides waves at night was taken from the link below)

Last night we went on a little fam fieldtrip to Tamarack State Beach in Carlsbad to see the amazing glowing bioluminescent waves of the Red Tide phenomenon happening along the Pacific Coast.
Red Tide is the common name for an algal bloom that accumulates at the water's surface. In the day it discolors the water reddish-brown. At night, when these phytoplankton which also contain photosynthetic pigments, are disturbed (such as waves breaking), they give off a chemical reaction that results in this amazing, almost magical flash of neon light.
The Red Tide is not considered a good thing because it can be toxic to marine life(AND IT STINKS!). But so far, I think it is one of THE most amazing things I have ever seen!
So glad we got to see it with our own eyes... the news reports/websites/etc...don't nearly do it justice.
(& of course today was spent finding out more)
example of Red tide during the day taken from here