Bioluminescence back in Southern California: Where to see it (2024)

FAQs

Bioluminescence back in Southern California: Where to see it? ›

The most common places for bioluminescent waves to occur in Southern California are in San Diego, specifically at Mission Beach, La Jolla Shores, and Blacks Beach.

So far, enthusiasts shared photos of the bioluminescence from several hotspots including Long Beach, Huntington Beach - specifically Goldenwest, Pacific Coast Highway and 17th Street, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, and Seal Beach.

San Diego Bioluminescence 2024 💙 It's back! Spotted along the county beaches for the past three days. It's visible during high tide when large waves crash, so prepare a blanket and chair for optimal viewing, especially since it's past midnight.

Prime locations to witness the bioluminescence in Orange County include Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, and Dana Point Harbor. However, while these areas are known hotspots, sightings are not guaranteed, and the intensity of bioluminescent displays can heavily vary from night to night.

When can you see bioluminescence in San Diego? First things first, it needs to be dark to see bioluminescence. Lucas says the organisms do not glow if they encounter light. The natural phenomenon can happen at almost any time of the year, Lucas explained.

Nature photographer Mark Girardeau, who runs Orange County Outdoors, told USA Today that the phenomenon has been ongoing, with the highest concentration being in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach areas. The light is as “bright as it was in 2020,” said Girardeau.

The not-so-typical tranquil Pacific Ocean transforms into a peaceful, mesmerizing canvas of lights created by breaking waves into areas of high algae. While it has been occurring every year for the past three or four years in San Diego and other parts of Southern California, it is quite rare near the shoreline.

Bioluminescence season can begin as early as late May or June, but the peak of the bioluminescence season is between July and September. Booking your tour during a new moon will amplify the glittering water and shimmering stars. Other factors that may affect the glow are rain and storms.

MALIBU, CA — Bioluminescent waves have returned to the Southern California coast, drawing hundreds of residents to the beach after dusk in hopes of experiencing the natural phenomenon before it disappears.

The bioluminescent sea will glow when it's disturbed by a wave breaking or a splash in the water at night. Algae bloom sea sparkle events are caused by calm and warm sea conditions. But you can see specks of bioluminescence when it's created nearby by a light-producing marine creature.

Does Laguna Beach have bioluminescence? ›

The bioluminescence waves, which turn the ocean red during the day and glow neon blue night, have been reported at multiple California city coasts including Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Long Beach the past week.

1. Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico. Hidden on the southern coast of Vieques, off the east coast of mainland Puerto Rico, this narrow inlet widens into a dolphin-shaped bay of mangroves that protects the brightest occurrence of bioluminescence in the world according to Guinness World Records.

The spring of 2020 saw one of Southern California's most prolific red tides on record, and while the bioluminescence left beaches from Santa Barbara down through Baja California with ravishing visual displays at night, the algal inundation – more of a chocolate-brown than a crimson-red– resulted in graver consequences ...

Updated on February 16, 2024 at 9:17 pm. NBC Universal, Inc. San Diego hobbyist photographer Vishwas Lokesh captured the bioluminescence at several beaches throughout the county. If you've been to one of San Diego County's beaches over the last few nights, you may have noticed that bioluminescent waves are back.

1. Puerto Mosquito, Vieques, Puerto Rico. Located on the southern shore of the island of Vieques is one of the most stunning bioluminescent beaches in the world. The neon blue bay is truly a staggering sight to behold.

Tomales Bay is one of the more popular bodies of water in which to see bioluminescence, but bioluminescence can be seen anywhere along the National Seashore's coastline.

1. Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico. Hidden on the southern coast of Vieques, off the east coast of mainland Puerto Rico, this narrow inlet widens into a dolphin-shaped bay of mangroves that protects the brightest occurrence of bioluminescence in the world according to Guinness World Records.

The bioluminescence waves, which turn the ocean red during the day and glow neon blue night, have been reported being seen at multiple California city coasts including Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Oxnard, Malibu, and San Diego coastlines over the past week.

Tomales Bay is a hotspot for bioluminescence. A narrow inlet that's about 15 miles long, Tomales Bay separates Point Reyes and the Marin Coastline. The area is home to abundant wildlife, including shorebirds, elephant seals, and migratory gray whales.