California
Bioluminescent Waves Visit San Diego Shorelines
The ultimate combination of chemical, physical and biological factors perfectly align to deliver a red tide off the shores of San Diego.
As the red tide crashes onto the county beaches, the waves agitate the bioluminescent dinoflagellate causing them to display a flash of blue light. This is created by a chemical reaction in the cells where billions of microbes in the water become agitated at the same time and result in a light show along the beach.
The breathtaking view as you hike down the road to Black’s Beach in San Diego 
Fresh out of the water, this surfer enjoys the bioluminescent spectacle 
Surfers enjoying the spectacle up close 
Lights from nearby Del Mar with blue waves and purples skies
The red tides that take place in San Diego are difficult to predict and we often never know when it will come or how long it will last. This causes thousands to flock to the beaches each night for a glimpse of this natural phenomenon. We’ve been lucky enough to have this event happen each of the last few years, but before 2018 the next most recent event happened in 2013 which lasted one week. Before that, the red tide in 2011 lasted for an entire month.
Hopefully you’ll get a chance to head to one of our beaches while maintaining social distance to experience this for yourself because no one knows when the next event will occur.
