Glow-in-the-Dark Waves Light Up Santa Cruz Beach
Visitors to the Seacliff State Beach this week may have been able to witness a beautiful natural phenomenon that makes the waves in the Pacific Ocean glow in the dark.
A bloom of bioluminescent phytoplankton has appeared off the coast in Santa Cruz County, giving the appearance of glowing water during the night as the waves roll to shore. The bloom usually occurs when the ocean has an influx of nutrients followed by a calmness that allows the water to form layers, causing the phytoplankton to illuminate in response to the motion.
While we’ve seen this type of glowing natural phenomenon throughout California (mostly in SoCal), it’s a rare time we’re seen such an illumination in the water in Northern California. According to photographers, the glowing began to die-down on Sunday evening and it’s unclear if it will come back in the near future.
Here are some of the best photos taken during the bloom of bioluminescent phytoplankton on the Seacliff State Beach:
