night dive in red tide

Son of Spam · Jun 17, 2005

I have a beautiful image in my head and I'm hoping someone here will confirm it. I'm down in San Diego and we have a pretty good red tide going. Last night after a couple beers and a couple hours swimming in the tide my brother and I came up with the idea of going for a night dive in it for the soul purpose of doing performing glowing kungfu moves underwater. If none of you have gone for a swim in a red tide; every sudden movement produces light. Fish look like comet, fists looks like something out of a video game/horror movie. The theory is great, but would it work? I'm picturing at the minimum sitting at the 20' or so to watch the bubbles glow as they pass thru the field. The 2 issues I brought up were:
1) It would likely have to be a one tank dive because we would be eating air at a very fast rate to in order to move fast enough to produce the glow.
2) vis maybe so bad that we might not be able to read any instruments.

anyone have comments? Has anyone done it?

Henryville · Jun 17, 2005

Imagine how cool it would look, if you took a rifle underwater in the red tide, and shot a full scuba tank... Oh, wait, someone already did that...

Seriously, though, playing with bioluminescent creatures is a favorite night diving activity, even outside of a red tide which makes it even more pronounced. Why not go out for a night dive with a local divemaster or instructor and try it out? Since you see it best with lights out, if you and your brother have the same experience level as indicated in your profile, I wouldn't do this without an experienced diver along.

Tom Winters · Jun 17, 2005

No one's shot doubles yet...

CBulla · Jun 17, 2005

Does red tide out there produce the respiratory irritation that we have here with ours?

BTW, if you like the phosphorescent effects, come over here and do night dives off of Lauderdale by the Sea.. all you have to do is turn off the lights and move your hand through the water.

MissyP · Jun 17, 2005

Son of Spam:
If none of you have gone for a swim in a red tide; every sudden movement produces light. Fish look like comet, fists looks like something out of a video game/horror movie. The theory is great, but would it work? I'm picturing at the minimum sitting at the 20' or so to watch the bubbles glow as they pass thru the field. The 2 issues I brought up were:
1) It would likely have to be a one tank dive because we would be eating air at a very fast rate to in order to move fast enough to produce the glow.
2) vis maybe so bad that we might not be able to read any instruments.

anyone have comments? Has anyone done it?

You're talking about what's called "bioluminescence"... the glowing of everything that moves.. Its very cool !!! Yes I've had several dives in it, but not since this red tide has rolled in.... The glow doesn't require fast movements at all, depending how bright it is that night... If you usually have good air consumption, then I wouldn't worry about it...
I was able to turn my light off and follow my buddy's fin kicks one night because the trail he was leaving was just that bright!

But with the red tide here, the vis has been pretty lousy (0 -5 ft lately) unless you go pretty deep (and theres no guarantee it'll improve at depth)..

Henryville · Jun 17, 2005

Tom Winters:
No one's shot doubles yet...

LMAO.

Nor, to the best of my knowledge, tried an RPG.

spectrum · Jun 17, 2005

CBulla:
Does red tide out there produce the respiratory irritation that we have here with ours?

BTW, if you like the phosphorescent effects, come over here and do night dives off of Lauderdale by the Sea.. all you have to do is turn off the lights and move your hand through the water.

We are having severe and early red tide bloom here in Maine that is killing the shellfish industry. My understanding is that the hazard to humans is when they eat shellfish that concentrate the bio-toxin. I have never heard of it being dangerous to swimmers or divers other than diminished visiblility.

As for the bioluminescense being enhanced during the bloom I guess every cloud does have a silver lining!

Pete

ShakaZulu · Jun 17, 2005

I have not seen this red tide, where is it???

Kriterian · Jun 17, 2005

ShakaZulu:
I have not seen this red tide, where is it???

"Red tide" is a toxic algae called Alexandrium, and it earned its name because it colors the water a rust color in high concentrations. Each year a bloom moves from the NE coast of Maine southward, and that's the one most often reported. This year was a record breaker and the heaviest bloom since 1972, causing Massachussets to announce a state of emergency. It's not strictly limited to the east coast though, it happens in California and in Gulf's too.

The main problem of the Red Tide is the fact that it poisons shellfish and can be deadly to anyone who eats the tainted seafood. Lobster and scallops are excluded from the unedible list though because folks don't eat the contaminated parts. It's not a danger to finned fish, or swimmers.

MissyP · Jun 17, 2005

Kriterian:
"Red tide" is a toxic algae called Alexandrium, and it earned its name because it colors the water a rust color in high concentrations. .

I think Shaka is pulling your leg... He lives here in SoCal... All you have to do is look at the ocean & see it's lovely coffee color instead of the usual blue water.

night dive in red tide

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