Blue plankton lights up False Bay

Posted by Anita Froneman on 17 February 2020

Kogel Bay came alive with glowing blue waters on Sunday, 16 February that looked like something from the sci-fi movie Avatar. This was caused by a type of plankton called bioluminescent dinoflagellates that naturally emits light.

Local Jézelle Fourie posted a video and pictures taken by Eric Nathan to Facebook, later shared by Anele du Plessis:

Bioluminescence is a defense mechanism used to evade predators. The dinoflagellates produce light when disturbed and will emit a flash of light lasting a fraction of a second, according to leisurepro.com.

Follow Eric Nathan at @ericnathanphotography on Instagram or visit his website to see more of his photos.

Images: Eric Nathan Photography