Why is the Pacific Ocean Glowing? Bioluminescent Brillance!

You may have seen the videos circulating online, of something glowing in the pacific ocean. Don’t worry you aren’t imagining things. It’s that time of year for the red tides, causing biolumiescence and this is one of the brightest ones yet.

Grant Graves loves everything about the ocean. He’s a marine biologist and avid dive instructor trainer with over 7000 dives under his weight belt who was able to share more about biolumiescence.

What is Bioluminescence?

“We are having what is called a plankton bloom. This particular plankton bloom turns red because there are dinoflagellates, its an animal that is both a plant and an animal,” Graves says.  

His passion to share about marine science fueled this outing to check out the first red tide of the season for himself. 

“It’s like when a wave breaks or dolphins swim through or a boat goes through the red tide, you will see this cool neon blue light. I love it, its my favorite thing. We have them almost every year, sometimes 3 a year.”

But when it gets dark, is when the real show begins…

He says this natural occurring phenomenon is due to warmer weather starting earlier and run off from land from things such as chemical fertilizers and sewage treatment plants.

Is it Bioluminescent Harmful to Humans?

“Generally, for humans, its probably not the best thing to be swimming in, but it probably won’t do permanent damage, but I would certainly not eat any fish that was caught here or where any big red tide is happening, and certainly no shellfish,” Grant says.

Grant also works in emergency management with the Red Cross and emphasized following city and county guidelines of beach closures.

“As cool as the bioluminescence is and I love it, we can’t flock to the beaches right now and go see it. So just be careful, follow the guidelines from the public health department of LA county and LA city.”

But if you can view from a good social distance, these bright spots amid the pandemic are not to be missed.