Look Up, Look Down, There Are Wonders to Behold

During the warm summer months, the waters of the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon come alive.

When the night creatures cooperate, you can get a real show from the bioluminescent plankton (single-celled microorganisms called dinoflagellates). If you really want to get technical, the eerie light is the result of oxidation of a light-producing substance (luciferin) by the enzyme luciferase – if you’ve ever seen a firefly you’ve seen this phenomenon.

Get up close to nature from a kayak.

On many nights our weather permits near perfect kayaking. And once out from the shore, you may see amazing nature above and below.

For some real fun, you can rent a clear bottom kayak.
Look down and see the blue-green bioluminescent trails from a speeding school of mullet, a manatee or a sting ray.

Look up and see multitudes of stars, maybe the International Space Station, and constellations.

The America Space Museum is a great place to learn more about the dark night sky. Most weekdays at 4p, you can STAY CURIOUS, with a special Facebook Live Show created by the America Space Museum. Subjects include wonderful things that go on in space, space history, the latest launch information from Kennedy Space Center, what’s up in the night sky and exciting things that are happening right now, like tracking a comet.

Learn about it here – or plan to watch it as it occurs on facebook – and later available on video.

Image: America Space Museum

Hosted by our Astronomy Coordinator Mark Marquette

From A Day Away Kayaks site, you can sign up for different night kayaking tours. Here’s what they say about the bioluminescence and kayaking: “The momentum of the kayak gives the appearance millions of shooting stars soaring under you, and fish darting under you are like underwater fireworks. And if you’re lucky, you may even see a dolphin or manatee glide gracefully under you. Some describe the dino bio as the enchanting twirl of fairy dust, others like the hovering orbs of Pandora. When nature is stranger than fiction, there is nothing more awe-inspiring.”

Be sure you take advantage of this summer’s bioluminescence, usually active from July to early October. Want to get a sneak peek? See this great video from the experts at A Day Away Kayaks.

For more information about places to go and adventures to create, read all the Stories & Adventures and sign up (at Info@Titusville.org) to receive email so you know when a new Stories & Adventures is published.