A rare surf, illuminated by a bright blue glow, has been seen off the coast of Newport Beach, Southern California. A similar sight in this area can be seen every few years, according to the Pacifica Tribune.
The red tide that appears near the coast often becomes a clue that bioluminescence can be observed near the coast in the evening. Eyewitnesses describe the amazing sight as "big waves that look like on the land of Avatars, they are so blue."
The reason for the phenomenon of bioluminescence during the surf is dinophytic algae, which give the water a bright blue color. During the day, photosynthetic organisms rise to the surface closer to the light, creating a thin, dense layer on the water.
Red flushes are unpredictable, and not all of them cause bioluminescence. There is no red tide monitoring program in the US yet, but the Coastal Ocean Observing System in Southern California is sampling weekly for potential harmful toxins in algae.
Scientists do not know how long the current red tide and the associated glow of the surf in the evenings will last. Previous events recorded in 2018 lasted from a week to a month, experts at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UC San Diego said.
