Luminescence

rwoofer

rwoofer

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Had to sail Hana from Portsmouth to Falmouth over the weekend, in preparation for my summer cruise down to La Rochelle. Left Friday night, sailed through the night, thru Saturday and Saturday night to arrive Falmouth on Sunday.

On Saturday night we were off the cornish coast sailing along in a force 2 with hardly any waves and I looked off the stern - what an amazing sight! There was the equivalent of "jet trail" glowing continuously as it streamed out the back. Either side of the stream the water was literally sparkling like the sparklers you get on bonfire night.

I have witnessed the luminescence before, eg. when you spell your name having a pee, but I have never seen as much as I saw over the weekend.

I figured out that the continous stream was actually coming of the keel and rudder whereas the sparkling came of the hull. Does anyone know why the difference?
 
Have flushed the loo in the middle of the night without the light on and noticed a bowl full of luminescence. Wondered what I had been drinking.
 
Ive had that experience too but either way when you see the lights trailing you it's fantastic isn't it?
regards.
Peter.
 
the more disturbance the better, hence effect off keel and rudder, it's a physical effect on the organisms. disturb them, and they give off chemi luminescent glow.

Wonderful, and not often seen in UK
 
Hi Brendan,

Yep, agree with Riggy. I've seen it loads of time over the last 30 odd years down here. As you say, a wonderful sight - bit like the trail of a comet. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Another unusual form, is when you're sailing through a shoal of (I think) mackerel. The fish shoot off in all directions as the bow approaches, and you get a multiple 'comet shower'!! We've seen this lots of times mid-channel as well as in the Med. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cheers Jerry
 
And if you're following a pod of whales its like great lanes of colour meandering around the ocean.

The first time I saw the luminescence created by dophin I thought I was under attach - this stream of light heading for me at 30 knots, then another... and another. Unbelievable!
 
Just once saw dolphins while motoring at night in a calm. The whole body sparkled with pinpoints of light as they played round our bows. Pure magic.
 
Got caught out in some bad weather off Cabo Sao Vicente in an Iroquois cat, every time we took a wave on deck it was as if someone had thrown bags of emeralds all over the yacht - wonderful ! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Now that is a sight I would love to see. Heading for La Rochelle on Thursday, so let's hope we meet some dolphins whilst the see is rich in the glowing stuff.
 
Had loads of it on a recent trip from Gibraltar to Croatia. On watch one night at about 0400, we had about eight or so dolphins alongside - each time they leapt into the air, and dived into the water, the trail of luminescence they left behind them was amazing.
 
While watching this display for over an hour, green dolphins 10 ft down I started to wonder if this was the sight that ancient sea farer's considered to be mermaids.

Ok, it sounds daft but it was such a beautiful spectacle it might just have been.....

I hope to see it again one day, just to affirm to both of us that yes, we really did see dolphins in the pitch black water.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Have flushed the loo in the middle of the night without the light on and noticed a bowl full of luminescence. Wondered what I had been drinking.

[/ QUOTE ]Yep, really spectacular especially if like the heads on my boat you have clear plastic pipe between the pump and the bowl - al these green flashes running round to the back of the heads and then filling the bowl with a wonderful display of light - must have stood there pumping for 5 minutes - even called SHMO to have a look. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
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hammer.thumb.gif
“Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity”
Skype id:cliffillupo
 
[ QUOTE ]
Yep, really spectacular especially if like the heads on my boat you have clear plastic pipe between the pump and the bowl - al these green flashes running round to the back of the heads and then filling the bowl with a wonderful display of light - must have stood there pumping for 5 minutes - even called SHMO to have a look.

[/ QUOTE ]

She must have been scared stiff at that one....

Darling, darling come quick, look what I did!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
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hammer.thumb.gif
“Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity”
Skype id:cliffillupo
 
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