Red Tide in Oceanside

If you walk by the ocean lately you can't help but notice how brown the water is.  April is known for its red tides, when there are algae blooms of dinoflagellates in the water.  This produces red water during the day, and blue water at night.  Dinoflagellates phosphoresce when they get jostled up in the waves.  

I decided to take a quick drive down to the ocean tonight, park, walk to the water, and be back within 15 minutes.  But my plans were thwarted.  

Traffic!

Honestly, I couldn't believe it.  Before I turned onto Surfrider I thought maybe everyone was stopped for a passing train.  (This is where your mind goes when you live next to train tracks.)

But nope!  People were looking for parking!  

I should have walked.  Oh well.  You live and you learn, and you wait in traffic to see microscopic organisms.

I was there and I still cannot believe it.

Here's the church, here's the steeple, open the door and see all the people.

I was able to keep my distance, although it did remind me that others definitely are not.  

If I were going to redo it, I would have gone to South Oceanside because it is so much darker on the beach and I think there would be less people.  But when I left I really thought this was going to be a quick process.  

BEAUTIFUL...is the word I missed on my 5th grade spelling bee test... :/

It really is incredible though. 

I am always happy to see extraordinary natural events.  

I look forward to sharing it next time with A1 and Eric!