John McCarthy
This is the ultimate Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Joy of the Mind) for a night-time researcher.
St. Croix is home to two rare “Super Glow” bays (Salt River and Altona Lagoon) where the water behaves like a high-frequency telemetry map.
- Dinoflagellates: The most common microorganisms that sparkle like “stars flying past you” when the water is agitated.
- The Green Glow (Ctenophora): Unlike the tiny white sparkles of plankton, the Comb Jelly Fish light up in neon green like a glow stick. They don’t sting, but they are fragile creatures of the “Speed-Up”.
- Bermuda Fireworms: These provide a “Grand Pronouncement” of their own—the females release a glowing green egg sack to attract males in a synchronized lunar display.
