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Bioluminescence is one of the coolest natural occurrences you'll find in Florida's waterways. When the sun goes
down and the crowds go home, we come out to play in the glowing water which will mesmerize you as millions of
tiny plankton emit a bluish-green glow similar to "glow in the dark" stickers. Every movement from you or the
animals below will produce light. Fish which are hidden during the day are exposed at night by the bioluminescence;
dolphins appear as huge glowing torpedoes, manatees ghostly underwater blobs of light, and schools of fish look
like fireworks as they scatter around. Upon closer inspection you can see the glowing plankton individually as
their lights resemble a starry night when you look at them closely. Sometimes small jellyfish will ingest them and
look like bright stars from the dense amount of plankton inside. The main type of light emitting plankton
which we see around our area are dinoflagellates. These small organisms store energy from the sun and release the
energy in the form of light at night. Many species have found ways to use the plankton and their bioluminescence
such as the deep sea angler fish. It holds a small sac of plankton and uses the light to attract prey. Jellyfish
have also found a usefulness for bioluminescence and can squirt a cloud of light as they disappear from predators.
No matter what bioluminescence is used for, it’s pretty darn cool to paddle and play in. Join us for one of
our Bioluminescent Night Paddles and we’ll take you to the best locations in Florida to see it for yourself.
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