A GROUP OF DOLPHINS ENJOY A SWIM IN BIOLUMINESCENT WATERS OFF THE COAST OFCALIFORNIA

The blue glow of marine bioluminescence adds beauty to scenes of nature. It is a natural phenomenon that moves with the ocean's inhabitants, even though it has primarily been captured in photos as a blue light that sways with the waves. A pod of dolphins swimming in bioluminescent water, lighting up the otherwise dark ocean, is captured in a video by Newport Coastal Adventure.

The video, which was first captured in 2020 by photographer Patrick Coyne, starts on the boat used by the whale-watching company. As they sail, bioluminescence marks their route, rocking the waters. Soon, two dolphins join them, which the sailors can see even though they are swimming below the surface. Bathed in a bluish radiance, the dolphins glide along with joy. Coyne posted on Instagram, "We were out for a few hours and on our final stretch back we finally had two dolphins pop up to start the incredible glowing show." It was crazy to see how many more people welcomed us a short while later.

Dolphins do not glow in and of themselves, despite how bright they are. When the dolphins leap out of the water, this is evident. Rather, the water's microorganisms deserve the credit. A natural chemical process called bioluminescence enables living things to emit light internally, which they can use to entice prey, trick predators, or even communicate. The cause of the bioluminescent water is a plankton algae bloom, which is facilitated by warm, calm waters.