Bioluminescence is to California as the Aurora Borealis is to the Arctic—an ephemeral natural display that’s positively mesmerizing.
These events occur when single-celled organisms, known as dinoflagellates, suddenly emit a glow after being disturbed or agitated. It doesn’t take much. Predators, or even wave action, can stimulate the release of light in these tiny organisms, which grow and accumulate during red tides, an algal bloom that is noticeable by day as a reddish or brownish cast in the water.
Go With the Glow
If you’re interested in seeing the wonders of bioluminescence for yourself, the good news is that the displays are by no means a once-in-a-lifetime event. They’re most common in spring and into summer, especially during years with a combination of good rains and warm weather. Now the hard part: The challenge is knowing when. And where. Even the experts can’t accurately forecast bioluminescence. (If you’re not familiar with this phenomenon, check out a video of a pod of common dolphins, glowing as if lit with neon as they light up bioluminescent waters that went viral a few years ago.)
“We can’t predict when they are going to occur or long they will last,” research biologist Michael Latz told the Los Angeles Times. “We know that they have been going on for a while. There’s been sampling and monitoring of these red tide events since 1900. Since then, there’s been at least a couple of dozen major events.”
Here a few tips to help your chances of witnessing bioluminescence:
Monitor social media. The first reports of a bioluminescence event are likely to show up on Instagram and Twitter, which are easily searchable. You can also set up an alert on Google that will round up news coverage.
Check with aquariums. Especially if bioluminescence is happening locally, such institutions as the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey might post updates on their websites or social media feeds.
Find a dark location. If an event is ongoing, try to find a stretch of coast that’s as far away from light as possible. Get out before the moon rises for the best conditions and some experts also suggest that two hours after sunset is a good bet. Give your eyes time to adjust and use your flashlight’s red beam, which will keep your vision acclimated to the darkness.
Track hot spots. Because the best displays can vary from night to night, check again on social media for updates. While no two events are exactly alike, in 2020 beaches and coves in Orange County, especially around Laguna Beach and Newport Beach, enjoyed prime light shows. The environmental website Treehugger named San Diego one of the world’s eight best places to see bioluminescent glows. Meanwhile, north of San Francisco at Point Reyes National Seashore, Tomales Bay is a dependable spot for bioluminescence and you can go out on guided trips with Blue Waters Kayaking.