Visitors confused as Caswell Bay in UK lights up in dark

In the marine world, animals and creatures have the ability to light themselves up while making their way through the dark under the sea. However, sometimes the abundance of such creatures in a spot can light up the sea, making it a sight to see.

Over the weekend, Brits captured breathtaking images of the sea lit up at night with a blue glow due to luminous plankton at UK beaches. The peculiar lighting effect was brought on by the bioluminescent plankton, which may have confused some observers.

According to Mirror, when chemical processes inside a living thing produce light, this is called bioluminescence. Plankton experiences this when it is in motion in the ocean.

At specific times of the year, it can be spotted in a number of locations throughout the UK, including Cornwall and Wales' Carmarthen, Gower, and Porthcawl.

However, it can frequently be found in tropical regions with warm water, such as the Caribbean or Southeast Asia. In the UK, summertime visitors are fortunate to witness the breathtaking light display.

This week, a few keen-eyed enthusiasts went out to some of the most well-known beaches in the UK after dark and took some incredible pictures of the plankton bathing the sea in blue.

According to WalesOnline, Thomas Winstone, an award-winning photographer, captured the plankton in south Wales in a breathtaking photograph.

In addition, between Friday morning at 3 am and midnight, Richard Haynes took a few stunning pictures of the plankton in the eastern part of Oxwich Bay.

Although the best circumstances for observing plankton are unknown, they seem to prefer warm sea temperatures and clear, sunny days. However, bioluminescence has also been observed in torrential downpours and dense fog.

The plankton is visible to those looking as a soft glow, though it can sometimes be stronger at night. When the waves break or you stir up the water by splashing or tossing in a pebble, you can see the blue neon glow from up to 200 metres away.

Another one of the beach visitors, at Caswell Bay, was also able to catch a glimpse of the plankton in action, which is typically visible in June and July during the astronomical twilight between 11 pm and 3:30 am, though it has also been seen later in the year. 

In another sighting at the same place at two in the morning on Saturday, Duane Evans also witnessed the mesmerising sight.