'Sea Sparkle' surprise for beach walkers
- Published
Nature lovers In Ireland were treated to glowing waters as bioluminescent plankton lit up the waves at Fountainstown Beach, just south of Cork City this week.
Bioluminescence describes the light that some living creatures, such as fireflies, emit from their cells. According to Ocean Research and Conservation Ireland, the bioluminescence is caused by the dinoflagellate, single-celled Mesokaryotes, commonly known as sea sparkle.
Photographer Joleen Cronin went to the beach after seeing a post on social media about the sighting: "The intensity was incredible, each wave splashing millions of sparkles on to the beach. Wow, wow, wow!" she told BBC NI Weather presenter Barra Best.
"I was completely mesmerised by the whole thing, it was amazing," said Joleen "When you put your feet in the water it would just kind of explode beneath you. We went paddle boarding and when the paddle hit the waves, it was like a disco!"
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