BELLINGHAM — It’s summer, which means it’s the ideal time to see one of Washington’s most striking natural phenomena: bioluminescent plankton. Several places around town offer kayak tours to see the sea light up, or you can try to see it on your own at a nearby beach. Here are the best times and places to see bioluminescence around Bellingham, along with other tips from experts.
- What causes bioluminescence?
While the term bioluminescence can refer to a wide range of creatures, it’s bioluminescent plankton that cause the sea to glow.
“It refers to any sort of life that gives off light so there’s a bunch of different types of things that are bioluminescent, but what we are primarily talking about when we see the bioluminescence in the water is a type of plankton called dinoflagellates,” Sophia Rouches, owner of Moondance Sea Kayak Adventures, said in a phone call with The Bellingham Herald.
Beyond that, the causes of Bellingham’s bioluminescence are largely unknown, according to Sara Welsh, director of youth programming at the Community Boating Center, which provides guided bioluminescence viewing trips throughout the summer.
“One of the things that we’re trying to do with our project is figure out exactly what species are responsible for Bellingham Bay. They don’t actually know. The most common plankton that bioluminesces is Noctiluca. But there was a study that says that doesn’t bioluminesce here,” Welsh said in a phone interview.
The CBC has partnered with Western Washington University for three years to collect data on Bellingham’s bioluminescence, in hopes of learning more about its causes, Welsh said.
- When can you see bioluminescent plankton?
Moondance typically runs its bioluminescence viewing trips in the mid-to-late summer.
“We sometimes see bioluminescence in June, and especially towards the end of June,” Rouches said. “But the other thing is that you want it to be completely dark to be able to see it and the sun sets just so late in the end of June, then it becomes, you’re on the water until midnight or so.”
The summer months are the best time to see the water light up, according to Rouches, because warmer weather makes for better conditions for algal blooms.
“While they live in our water year round, it’s during the summer months when the water gets warmer that they’ll bloom in really high numbers and come to the surface,” Rouches said.
But while warmer months make for the best viewing, Welsh said that bioluminescence gets associated with the summer because that’s when people are willing to go to the beach late at night.
“There is bioluminescence all year round, but there’s probably just not people out that are witnessing it,” Welsh said.
The weather isn’t the only factor that affects your odds of seeing the sea glow. Both Welsh and Rouches said you’ll have the best chance to see bioluminescent plankton on the nights around a new moon.
“I would suggest going out on a new moon, so when there is not very much moonlight in the sky,” Welsh said. “And if it’s been sunny during the day, but cloudy at night, that could be really helpful.”
This summer, upcoming new moons fall on Aug. 4 and Sep. 2.
- Best places near Bellingham to see bioluminescence
According to Welsh, the most important factor in picking a spot to see bioluminescence is light pollution.
“Anywhere where you have minimal city light, anywhere where you don’t have a ton of light pollution,” Welsh said.
Rouches added that protected coves make for the best viewing, since they give plankton a chance to congregate.
As for specific spots around town, Welsh recommends Teddy Bear Cove, Clayton Beach and a section of Chuckanut Bay known as “Mud Bay.”
“Teddy Bear Cove is phenomenal. I would bet that Clayton Beach is pretty good. That little mud bay that we go to is really nice,” Welsh said. “So just anywhere like where there isn’t a bunch of light pollution over by the Chuckanuts, and it has public access, is a phenomenal place to go.”
While Rouches also recommends both Teddy Bear and Mud Bay, she said that visitors should check park hours to make sure they’ll have access when it’s dark enough to see the bioluminescence. Moondance takes its tours to Larrabee State Park, although they need a permit to get after-hours access.
For a spot with 24-hour access, Rouches recommends the CBC’s boat launch in Fairhaven.
“While [in] Fairhaven itself there’s the city lights you can see, if you had a way to paddle a kayak or paddleboard, you can paddle out of the cove there and you will find the more protected, sheltered areas that are out of the lights,” Rouches said.
- How to see bioluminescence
Just because bioluminescent plankton are in the water, doesn’t mean you’ll be able to see them light up.
“Anytime anyone really finds themselves on a beach at dark, just go play in the water — you can throw rocks or use a stick. They’re not going to light up unless you agitate the water, that’s what gets them to light up and emit light,” Rouches said.
“Throwing a little rock in the water is awesome. … Sometimes you can see it with the waves, but really, it should be right on the shoreline in really bright blooms,” Welsh said. “Like even if you’re walking on the beach, the sand will start to glow and it’s like you’re walking on stars.”
