As a diver, I was familiar with the phenomenon of bio-luminescence. I could lift my foot and point the sole forward to use as a torch! With a finger, I could trace messages in shining letters in the sand. When I strolled along the waterline to investigate, each step left a glowing footprint in its wake. Every movement of the water excited the source of the illumination. The gentle surges of water lapping up against the shoreline were glowing with an eerie turquoise radiance, dotted with bright specks of light, much like the stars that were just starting to light up overhead. What could be better? I was about to find out!Īs the last embers of the crimson sunset faded away, a most remarkable scene, supernatural in appearance, began to reveal itself. A fiery sunset was illuminating the sky, and a luscious feast was in preparation. For the next few hours we passengers had this Robinson Crusoe island to ourselves. Our safari boat drifted lazily at anchor offshore.
#Sea of stars beach maldives portable
Mouth-watering smells wafted off the portable grill as the crew set up a portable dinner table on the beach. “The island was straight out of a picture postcard: dense jungle foliage in the interior and a long sandy beach wrapping around the perimeter, and nary a human inhabitant. He recounts the time he saw bio-luminesce in the autumn of 2010 in the Maldives. Marine wildlife photojournalist Doug Perrine, has been lucky enough to witness the phenomenon several times. It’s worth agitating the water to check, throw a stone into the sea and if the plankton is there you’ll be rewarded with a bright blue splash of light.' If the sea is particularly calm and just gently lapping the shore, this may not be enough to cause bio-luminescence to light up. Or as you walk along the beach, plankton that are left deposited on the shore’s sand and stones will light up and sparkle beneath your feet.
‘Needless to say you will need to be out looking during the night time, plankton have a circadian rhythm and will only emit bioluminescence during that time.Some displays I’ve seen only occur for a night, others have stayed there for several weeks.’ ‘If you heard of a display happening near you try the same spot again over the next night or so, as stronger displays can stay around for a while.‘The warmer months tend to be more successful for bio-luminescence sightings, and I’ve seen the phenomenon occur myself in the months between April and November.’.‘Do your research and find locations such as small bays, coves and harbours where bio-luminescence has been seen before.’.It is only when tidal currents cause them to be washed towards the shore in large numbers that you will be able to see them from land.’Īlthough its shore-line appearance is a rare occurrence, you’re more likely to spot bio-luminescence with some determination, patience and these few key pointers from Kris: Blooms of bioluminescent plankton are notoriously difficult to predict, and they occur most often far out in the ocean. Kris says ‘As with most natural phenomenon, it is a huge challenge to put yourself in the right place at the right time.
One man who understands the wit and chance needed to locate bio-luminescence is Kris Williams, a photographer specialising in time-lapse landscape and astro photography whose work with bio-luminescence was recently featured on BBC Earth.
0 kommentar(er)
