La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
We received a text message Friday night from our friend Kathleen saying that one of Pedro’s students saw bioluminescent algae on Fuengirola’s shore. She wondered if we saw it, too. We went out on the terrace and looked, but we couldn’t say for sure what we were seeing. There were four spots of greenish-blue light, but that didn’t seem to be bioluminescence. So I headed across the street. The four lights were from fishing poles. Fishermen were set up to spend the night. But when I got closer I realized the sea had a blue-green glow. The phytoplankton in the water emit light and, apparently the algae (or protozoa, if you’re a zoologist; botanists and zoologists appear to not be in agreement) is only abundant in certain types of water and it moves with the current. The view was magical. Unfortunately, my photos aren’t at all good, but you’ll get the idea.
I managed to get out of bed in time to catch the tail end of today’s sunrise. Dudo and Moose are “requesting” treat #3, which isn’t due for another hour. It’s going to be a long day.
Recibimos un mensaje de texto el viernes por la noche de nuestra amiga Kathleen diciendo que uno de los estudiantes de Pedro vio algas bioluminiscentes en la costa de Fuengirola. Se preguntó si nosotros también lo vimos. Salimos a la terraza y miramos, pero no sabíamos con certeza qué estábamos viendo. Había cuatro puntos de luz azul verdosa, pero no parecían ser bioluminiscencia. Así que crucé la calle. Las cuatro luces eran de cañas de pescar. Los pescadores se instalaron para pasar la noche. Pero cuando me acerqué me di cuenta de que el mar tenía un brillo azul verdoso. El fitoplancton del agua emite luz y, al parecer, las algas (o protozoos, si eres zoólogo; botánicos y zoólogos parecen no estar de acuerdo) sólo abundan en determinados tipos de agua y se mueven con la corriente. La vista fue mágica. Desafortunadamente, mis fotos no son del todo buenas, pero entenderás la idea.
Logré levantarme de la cama a tiempo para ver el final del amanecer de hoy. Dudo y Moose están “solicitando” el aperetivo número 3, que no llegará hasta dentro de una hora. Será un día largo.
• Moose justo cruzó y se sentó en mi escritorio frente a mi teclado. Nunca antes había hecho eso. Aquí se parece al Macho Moose Monastrell.
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How great that you went down to take a closer look! You would have missed it!
Steve:
Had Pedro’s student not told him, I would have had no clue. Magic.
Oh yes, I see the greenish-blue glow! So cool.
Debra:
I had never seen that before.
Very interesting! And I can see it!
Moose is letting you know he has back-up! lol
Jim:
Moose is sitting at my feet right now meOWing for another treat. Give me strength.
Boud here. Thank you for including us in your bioluminescence caper! It’s so mysterious, like fireflies, when natural beings produce light.
Boud:
It made me think again about fireflies. That was pure magic during my childhood in suburban Long Island.
I have seen bioluminescence in the Gulf here. It is beautiful and eerie and so cool.
What are these treats that you give to your cats at appointed times?
Mary Moon
Mary Moon:
The cats have two bowls of dry food that are available all day. In addition, they share a packet of wet food five times a day (usually Purina Felix).
Ah. My cats too have dry food that they can eat all day long if they like and right around four I give them a few Temptations treats which must be cat crack. They know exactly when they’re due and demand them when it’s time.
MM
Such an amazing place
David:
I wonder how many times there’s been bioluminescence we just didn’t know about.
Wow – illuminated waves by day and night!
Moose tries to look “macho”, but his oh-so-delicately placed paw’s a dead giveaway, dear 😄. Jx
Jon:
His pose from the front looks less delicate. He tends to sit like a sumo.
Exciting none the less!
Ron:
It was. I’ve been on the beach at night many times and have never seen it.
Oh oh – the cats are taking over!!!
sillygirl:
Too late for that. They took over a long time ago.
I only relatively recently even heard of bioluminescence, when I was thinking that I might be going to San Juan, Puerto Rico (for a convention), just before the lockdown happened. Your photos are still pretty cool, Mitch. And the Macho Moose Monastrell photo is the best 🙂
Judy C:
I was tempted to draw the tattoos onto Moose front leg.
I like ALL of your photos today (torn between the sunrise and Moose as my fave) and yes, I can see the green glow! I’m glad you made the effort to go look at it.
Kelly:
It WAS an effort. I had to put pants on.
The magic came through all right.
Kirk:
It looked much better on my iPhone screen… but I wasn’t wearing my glasses.
oh oh I am confused and probably wrong.
The first photo (how splendid!) is a sunrise? I thought you looked westward into the sunsets.
Urspo:
The front of our terrace faces southeast. Sunsets are visible from the back of the terrace, my office windows, and the back hall.
Oh, I just love protozoa in the evening!
Walt the Fourth:
That sounds like a song title.
Bioluminescence is an amazing phenomenon — how lucky are you to have seen it first hand in marine algae! The first time I saw fireflies, it was at night in a boreal forest and it scared the crap outta me before I realized what they were, LOL! Those little glowing orbs of light gently undulating through the forest were absolutely magical though.
Great picture of Moose too — he’s looking more svelte lately. Has Moose been working out with you or is Dudo just stealing his treats?
Tundra Bunny:
I thought of you that night! I figured this would be something you’d understand. I spent the first 10 years of my life in suburban Long Island and fireflies were a part of our summer evenings. We would catch them in jars (with holes in the lids), keep them for a few minutes, and then let them go. It WAS absolutely magical. I noticed today that Moose was looking more svelte. It certainly isn’t for lack of eating. Dudo is hyperactive. For a 12-year-old, Moose is still on the move a lot. He eats less dry food now that he gets so many wet food treats. Maybe they’re less fattening.
I saw the green glow! As always your photos are amazing. I loved Dudo on the table!
mcpersonalspace54:
I used to be so strict about tables with our cats in the States, but the first time I saw Dudo up there staring at me, all I could say was, “You’re so cute!” Thanks regarding the photos.
Another great batch of pics, my friend.
Sassybear:
I wish I had spent more time on the beach photos, but dinner was ready upstairs.
On my first visit to California (more than 50 years ago…), on a moon-lit night, a friend took me to the top of some very dark cliffs overlooking the Pacific near La Jolla. And there we sat for several hours watching the waves come in lit up by the bioluminescent waves. It was completely magical. Mary
Mary,
The view from the cliffs sounds wonderful. I can’t believe I’ve never see the bioluminescence until now. And I probably sat on that same cliff in La Jolla! Lived in San Diego and worked at UCSD in La Jolla. My office was right next to those cliffs.