'Bright as it was in 2020' Glowing bioluminescence waves return to Southern California beaches

The bright blue, glowing waves are ready to draw beachgoers at Southern California’s coastline this week.

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.

"They've been happening every night and it seems like it's getting brighter and brighter like it's been showing up in more beaches the last few nights," nature photographer Mark Girardeau, who runs the website Orange County Outdoors, told USA TODAY on Thursday.

Girardeau said the highest concentration of the algae bloom has recently been in the Huntington Beach and Newport Beach area. He added windy conditions in that area have made the waves choppy, which typically weakens the glow caused by bioluminescence. However, he said the whitecaps formed when waves break also glowed to what he called "bluecaps."

The waves are as consistent and "bright as it was in 2020," according to Girardeau, who frequently photographs each bioluminescence event.

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How do the waves glow at night?

Bioluminescence, a chemical reaction most commonly seen in marine organisms, causes light to emit from living things. When these organisms are moved by waves or the paddle of a kayak or canoe, the light becomes visible. Most marine and land organisms' bioluminescence appears blue-green, however, some land species, such as fireflies, beetle larvae, and even mushrooms, also glow yellow.

Where to see bioluminescence?

The best times to see bioluminescence are in the summer and fall on dark, cloudy nights before the moon has risen or after it sets, according to the National Park Service. 

Phytoplankton blooms occur in the Gulf of Alaska thanks to the nutrient-rich water that provides fertile conditions for species, according to NASA.

Is it safe to swim in bioluminescence?

Lingulodinium polyedra can produces yessotoxin, a compound that acts as a neurotoxin, in some locations such as the Mediterranean. However local populations do not produce yessotoxin, according to the 2020 UC San Diego’s report.

"However, some people are sensitive to inhaling air associated with the red tide, so the organisms must be producing other compounds that can affect human health," the report said. "In general, during a red tide there is lots of dissolved and particulate matter in the water with associated enhanced microbial activity. It is personal choice whether to go in the water, but there is no public health warning associated with the red tide."