SPARKLING SEA
THIS stunning photo captures the rare bioluminescent plankton in the sea at Aberavon Beach. The phenomenon also known as “sea sparkle” or Noctiluca scintillans, is currently making our seas glow bright blue due to the recent warm weather.
Andrew Rosser was at the beach in Port Talbot to catch a glimpse of the wonderful sight during the early hours of Friday.
He said: “I went down to the beach at around 12.30am and I stayed for an hour and a half.
“There must have been at least 60-70 people there from families with young children enjoying as it’s the last day of school for most kids.
“Amateur and professional photographers, groups of young and old taking photos with their smart phones. It was such an amazing feeling of community spirit. Watching people gather around as people went to collect rocks to throw in.”
The amateur photographer captured the stunning photos and described the moment as “magical”.
“After a few attempts of trying, I finally got to see the amazing Bioluminescent Plankton. It was magical watching the patterns appear. It truly was Mother Nature at her best,” the 26-year-old said.
Glowing bright blue when disturbed by things like waves or currents, they often appear in warm coastal waters, like those in the Maldvies and Tasmania – but they have also been spotted at other coastlines across Wales this summer.
There have been sightings in Anglesey, Three Cliffs Bay in Gower and Southerndown in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Another photographer, Alyn Wal- lace, has also written a blog on his experience of swimming with the bioluminescent plankton at Three Cliffs Bay in Gower last year.
In his post he wrote: “It was one of those things I never thought I’d experience without travelling halfway across the world but my home country Wales continues to blow me away.
“Being surrounded by the blue glow and sparkle of bioluminescent plankton whilst underneath the grace of the Milky Way was one of the most surreal and magical moments of my life.”
One man who’s familiar with the phenomenon is photographer Kris Williams, who has spent the past few years capturing stunning images of the mesmerising sight.
He spotted the plankton at Penmon in Anglesey on Sunday, June 24, and also created a stunning video of his experience – which even included taking a dip and splashing around in the glowing water.
Kris said: “I’ve been fortunate enough to witness the bioluminescence on the Welsh coast many times over the past five years, both in North and South Wales.”
He added: “You can scoop the water up in your hands and see the plankton covering your fingers like tiny stars, or swim in the water and watch as the waves light up where you swim through them.
“It really is something magical to see and experience.”
He said since the first sighting, Penmon had been inundated with people going along at night to experience it themselves.
So, is there any way of knowing where the magical sea sparkle will pop up next? Unfortunately not.
But Kris added: “It’s always worth checking your local beach at night, but you do need to wait until it’s as dark as possible, so usually between the hours of midnight and 3am.”