Or at least, that’s exactly what it feels like when you float over the enchanting blue and green lights flickering in the water.
Florida is home to one of only a few places in the world where you can do this sort of thing. There are only five bioluminescent bays in the world (Luminous Lagoon in Jamaica, Halong Bay in Vietnam, and Puerto Rico’s Laguna Grande, La Parguera, and Mosquito Bay) although there are other points on earth where you can find bioluminescent plankton or algae.
What are those lights?
The fascinating and other-worldly orbs that are seen during these kinds of night tours, are dinoflagellates (plankton) and comb jellies.
The times between June and November are the best for viewing dinoflagellates. In the early days of summer the bioluminescence begins to show, and by the height of summer it shines and sparkles bright when it is stirred with your kayak paddle, hand, or even the myriad of Mullet fish flying around.
And October to March are the preferred times to view comb jellies, which are my personal favourite because they don’t sting. Bioluminescent Comb Jellies are pre-historic sea creatures that have been on the planet for over 500 million years.
During the full moon phases, the bioluminescence does not appear as brightly as when it is very dark. However, full moon kayaking is an amazing, mystical experience itself, which is only enhanced by a clear see-through kayak.
That’s right, the experience has an almost fully-immersible feeling when you slowly float along the galaxy-lined waters in a boat you can see right through.
The company doing these incredible tours is Get Up And Go.
Their website states, “Be sure to book in advance as the season generally runs from end of May-October and is most visible on the darkest nights with a new moon or no moon rise. Tours are first-come-first-serve, so don’t wait! We’ve got the BEST bioluminescent tours in Florida as our clear kayaks provide the absolute best ability to view the bioluminescence! When the organisms move in the water they create a beautiful glowing effect. This means that you can see fish underwater by the glow that they give off as they swim, your paddle will glow as you maneuver the waterways, and the natural flow of water will illuminate these organisms.”
“We’re the first clear kayaking bioluminescent company! The great thing about paddling in our clear kayaks is that you can also see the glowing directly below you! Paddling in a clear kayak will enhance your bioluminescence viewing experience by a long shot!”
Now all the details:
Tours take place in the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge just outside of Titusville, Florida. Cost for tickets is between $55-65 dollars depending on availability. Each tour typically lasts 90 minutes, and they suggest wearing long sleeve and/or long pants to deter mosquitoes. Also, it helps to spray bug spray underneath your clothing as another form of protection.
Who’s ready to take a bioluminescent kayak tour? Check out the videos below for more information:
By GKT for MysticalRaven.com