Mother Nature Provides Epic Light Show to Southern California Beaches

Mother Nature gave an incredible gift to beachgoers in Southern California in the form of bioluminescent waves!

Algae bloom, also known as “red tide,” lit up the waters and provided joy to surfers amidst the challenges of the pandemic.

This video is from our friend, Louis Cole, who said, “This week I got to witness a once in a lifetime phenomenon, bioluminescent algae appeared in the ocean and beaches in California. We heard about it and ran down to Venice beach, when we arrived this is what we saw! I had to jump in the sea, it was glowing all around me, I literally felt like I was in Avatar! One of the most magical experiences of my life!”

Red tides are one of Southern California’s most stunning natural phenomena but they’re unpredictable and don’t happen often. Locals are saying this event was especially vibrant and is possibly related to historic rains that soaked the region.

The neon lighting comes from microscopic organisms called phytoplankton that looks reddish-brown during the day — hence the name “red tide.” But at night … they can give off a dazzling light show when the water is agitated.

Local surfer, Dale Huntingon, told The Guardian, “I’ve been surfing for 20 years now, and I’ve never seen anything like it. My favorite part was paddling out — it was almost like there was a glow stick around your hand. My board left a bioluminescent wake. There were a few of us out there and we were giggling, grown men shouting ‘this is so cool’ and splashing around like kids in the bathtub.”

This earth is truly magical and it’s meant to be experienced and enjoyed…

At Karmagawa, we aim to make sure it stays that way…

Save the Reef is one of Karmagawa’s charity projects — and 100% of its profits from charity apparel are donated to charities that are working to save our oceans and marine life.

Please follow us on Instagram at Karmagawa and Save the Reef so that you can keep up with what we’re doing. Share the info with people important to you. Support our cause by buying some of our awesome apparel. Not only will you look great, but you’ll feel good that you’re working to restore our reefs and oceans!

Also, have you ever wanted to film the world’s beauty? 

Well, we joined forces with professional filmmaker Amir Zakeri to create a videography masterclass — and you can save 50% on the presale now.

Not only will you be supporting our cause to make the world a better place, but you’ll learn a valuable skill. Get started today!

Have you ever experienced bioluminescent waves? We’d love to hear about it … leave a comment below!

(Cover image: Ilya Sviridenko/Shuttertstock)