A handful of north Aucklanders have been treated to the magical sight of neon-blue waves thanks to a bioluminescent algal bloom on the Hibiscus Coast over the weekend.
Photos and videos of the unusual marine phenomenon, captured at Tindalls Beach by Whangaparāoa resident Matthew Davison, show kids playing in the shallows as the sea sparkles around their ankles on Sunday night.
Bioluminescence - the illumination of thousands of tiny marine organisms - is a chemical reaction that occurs when algae or phytoplankton are agitated or disturbed by a splash or a wave.
Despite it being a reasonably common sight along the Hibiscus Coast - it's widely known as the best place to see bioluminescence in Auckland - Davison says what he witnessed on Sunday was among the best blooms he's ever seen, and by far the best he's ever got footage of.
"It's just unreal. I mean, when you're going for a walk on the beach at night, you don't really expect to see the entire ocean illuminated in this beautiful kind of neon-blue colour," he said.
"It was clearly a lot lighter than it normally is, a lot more illuminated. I have witnessed another one about six months ago that was probably on par, but this is the first time I've managed to capture video of bioluminescence in the waves."
Davison's video featured some local kids, who were brought down by their parents after the sight of bioluminescence was reported on a local community of 'bio-hunters' on Facebook.
"The bio-hunters are basically a group of people around the [Hibiscus] Coast that relentlessly search the shores for what we call 'blue gold'. And when it's found, there's a flurry of social media alerts that follow," he explained.
"Then the community and other people pop down and witness it; it brings out a lot of families and kids, and you can imagine the kids just love splashing around. It's something a bit unusual."
Algal blooms are usually more common after a period of rain and in warm, calm waters. Add in the lack of moonlight as we edge towards a new lunar phase, and conditions to see bioluminescence in Auckland on Sunday were perfect.
Despite that, would-be bioluminescence photographers shouldn't get their hopes up if they don't have the right gear. Davison says he captured his photos using a DSLR camera with a tripod and a highly sensitive lens.
"A lot of people are down there using their cellphones. I've been one of those people in the past who've tried to use a cellphone and been disappointed every single time," he said.
In saying that, Davison says the spectacular video he took of the waves is "effectively what you'd see with the naked eye".
