Wednesday, July 28, 2021 / by Flr Team
Bioluminescence Season
Did you know it’s Bioluminescence season? If you live on the Space Coast, you might be aware of the magical glow that lights up the lagoon at night during the months of July and August. We reached out to a local tour guide from Cocoa Kayaking to get more insight one what the magic is all about. This is what Dustin Foster has to share about the Bioluminescence experience.


“Bioluminescence is the biochemical emission of light given off by organisms. It is primarily used by living organisms as a means to deter or to attract predators and prey. The bioluminescence that we are experiencing in our local lagoons are due to a single-celled plankton called a dinoflagellate. These dinoflagellates are microscopic and harmless to people. They contain a molecule called luciferin that reacts with oxygen to produce light. Anything that creates a disturbance in the water is going to cause oxygen to react with the cellular wall of the plankton, sparking a chemical reaction that causes them to emit a photon of light. The plankton interprets these disturbances as a threat and uses the light as an alert system as well as a deterrent to it's perceived predator. Bioluminescence is usually in the spectrum of the color blue. This is because blue has the shortest wavelength of all the colors which allows it to penetrate the farthest into the water and reach more organisms.”
“In addition to the dinoflagellates we also have a bioluminescent creature in our Rivers called a comb jelly. They look like jellyfish but despite their looks and name they are not actually related to the common jellyfish we typically see. They are made of 98% water and are completely harmless. They cannot sting you like other jellyfish. They have been dated back to over 500 million years ago. They can be found floating along the surface of the water and when agitated will create a blue bioluminescent glow.”
“Our local season for bioluminescence goes from May through October with July and August being the peak of its season. The plankton needs warm water temperatures as well as salinity in the water which is why it's so prevalent in our brackish water systems.”
If you are interested in booking a tour with Cocoa Kayaking simply Google search the company's name and book online or call the owner Genevieve to book your tour directly through her. They offer a number of different tours that range from $40-$70 dollars.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us directly.
Florida Lifestyle Realty
(321)613-5922