Those of us originally from places in the country outside of the Pacific Northwest remember fireflies. Catching those benevolent creatures in jars and falling asleep to their illuminations, only to discover the next morning that sometime in the night they had made their escape through the oversized air holes in the lid. To children (and some adults) they are both magical and a mystery, deserving of their own folklore. Where do they come from? Why are they here?
In the Northwest, those of us fortunate enough to live near saltwater are able to experience a different kind of firefly. The trick to seeing them is getting out on the Sound in the dark of night, preferrably under a New Moon and clear skies. Then all you have to do is stir the water...and watch the stars of sea known as Noctiluca Scintillans glow.
Bioluminescence occurs when particular cellular chemicals interact with oxygen. In the case of the Sound, this reaction happens in dinoflagellates. Blooms occur between April and September. It's hard to imagine a number that would accurately reflect the populations of these creatures that are mere micrometers in size.
Watching the illuminations as a paddle slices the water, waves splash on the surface, fish dart like undersea rockets and fireworks, or if you're lucky, a seal swimming beneath you, are all reasons to pause and remember the magic of the sea.
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