Beachgoers at Stanmore Bay were treated to a light show last night as the ocean came alive with glowing blue bioluminescence in a display described by one longtime observer as “the best I’ve ever experienced”.
Bioluminescence is a natural phenomenon where living organisms emit light through chemical reactions within their bodies.
In coastal waters, it’s often caused by microscopic plankton known as dinoflagellates, which glow when disturbed by movement in the water.
These displays can be triggered by changes in temperature, nutrients, or currents – and while they’re not uncommon in New Zealand, such vivid and widespread events are rare.
Auckland photographer Matthew Davison captured the natural phenomenon on camera.
He described the event as “the most incredible bioluminescence display I’ve ever witnessed”.
“The ocean was glowing with thick, widespread blue bioluminescence as far as the eye could see along the beach,” he told the Herald.
“To make it even more special, a near full moon rose over the glowing water.”
Davison was still buzzing about the spectacle this morning.
“It was such an unforgettable evening. Brilliant blue and neon green bioluminescence stretched as far as I could see, illuminating the entire shoreline.
“I’ve been chasing bioluminescence for over a decade and this was easily the best show I’ve seen.
“You’re in total darkness and then suddenly, the surface lights up like someone dumped a million tiny glow sticks into the sea.”
Davison said 10pm was “particularly spectacular”.
“A near-full, glowing orange moon that seemed to crank up the intensity of the bioluminescence, making the show absolutely breathtaking.”
Ashley Gillard-Allen was also at the beach to see the stunning show and said it was a “nice moment for locals”.
“Great for kids and also bigger kids like me who took a few photos and went for a night paddle in the kayak,” Gillard-Allen said.
“I watched the fish below lighting up the ocean as they streamed through the water under me at the northern end of Stanmore Bay.”
Photographer Grant Birley also captured the magic.
He explained to the Herald how he got himself in the right spot for the light show.
“Several people posted on social media through the day yesterday that they saw a large concentration of red tide that appeared like a large pink oil slick on top of the water stretching across Stanmore Bay,” he said.
“A few mates and myself chase this phenomenon around the country all year round. Once we saw this, we knew there was a very high likelihood that we would get a great bioluminescent show.”
Birley said the kind of show spectators get is always dependent on the tides and currents, “as to whether it sticks around until nightfall”.
“We were down at the beach around sunset and you could clearly see the pink slick in the water,” he said.
“We started noticing the vibrant bioluminescent blue appearing in the waves even before it got dark, which is pretty rare and showed how large the concentration was.
“We spent most of the night capturing it. We also stuck around to capture the moonrise, and traditionally, with such a large moon, the very bright light from the moon washes the bioluminescence out and it disappears. However, last night’s bloom was so large that even with the fullish moon, it continued to glow blue.”