How to Find Bioluminesence

You need to be able to find it to see it, right? Unfortunately, they aren't able to predict or forecast much in regards to bioluminescence. That means there's no telling exactly where it will be or how long it will last. So, when you hear about it, you need to be ready to jump at the opportunity.

When it comes to location, it can change or disappear without much notice. Initial reports may give an area or specific beaches that it was spotted at, but that isn't a guarantee on future nights. Over the past few days, it seems to have been showing up between La Jolla up to Encinitas. At first it was a bit more intense near Encinitas, but it may be shifting a little bit South.

Before you head out here are a few tips for finding where the bioluminesence is visible:

Instagram Hashtags: Do a quick search for "bioluminesence" and look for the latest photos posted both in feeds and in stories. Very often people will post right away and mark the location they're in. This is way easier than driving around, parking, making your way to the beach, and letting your eyes adjust just to find out it's not there.

Reddit: When the red tide is occurring, there's quite often a discussion about it happening on a local subreddit (r/sandiego for example). Sort the comments by new to see what the latest reports are

Ask a Photographer: Sometimes it's that easy. Did you see someone that caught a cool photo? Shoot them a friendly message and ask for some help!

Flickr Keywords: Visit flickr.com, a social based photosharing site, and use the same search methods as on Instagram. This won't be as real-time, but you can often find where it has previously occurred.



If you find multiple reports, use the next set of tips to pick out the best spot to go to.