Travel Writing Prompt
Want To Swim With the Dinoflagellates?
The all-natural secret sauce for luminous lagoons
The Luminous Lagoon was on my bucket list. I swam in one on my last vacation. I now have a figurative drop of water in my bucket that emits phosphorescent light when disturbed. You could add this memory to your bucket, too, if you visit a luminous lagoon.
What is a Dinoflagellate?
Of course, you may say you don’t want to swim with dinoflagellates if you don’t know what they are. That makes sense. I don’t blame you. I would have said no before I knew, as well.
Dinoflagellates are the all-natural secret sauce that makes the Luminous Lagoon luminous. They are microorganisms that live in special places where the salt waters of a sea meet the fresh waters of a river. When they are disturbed there is a chemical reaction that causes the compound luciferin to emit light.
When you first enter the water, it seems like it may be a hoax. The water is dark like the night. But, as you push through the water with your arms, bright flashes illuminate the water around the disturbance. As you kick your feet, pools of light appear below the surface. It looks like energy is flowing from your extremities. The more you move about, the more you are enveloped in the pocket of glowing water. No matter what you anticipate, the experience will exceed your expectations.
I am awed by any lights in the dark — stars, fireflies, fireworks, or the like. The concentration of these organisms in the dark water at night was a new level of awesome. I will definitely visit again.
Where
I visited the glowing waters in Falmouth Trelawny, Jamaica.
Our tour guide told me that it was the most luminous in all of the world. But, I was also told that by taking a swim in the Luminous Lagoon women’s butts and boobs would be naturally enhanced by at least two sizes. And, men would gain substantial size in their favored part, as well.
Tour guides think tourists are not smart. I know those enhancement statements were not true, but I am not sure if the lagoon in Jamaica is the most luminous in the world or not. There are only three others in the world so, I could potentially go check for myself.
The others can be found in the following locations:
- Halong Bay, Vietnam
- Laguna Grande, La Parguera, and Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico
Final Thoughts
Natural wonders are world-renowned for good reason. They are worth checking out. They bust the doors wide open for wonder and awe. The elements come together in mind-blowing ways in these extraordinary masterpieces created by Mother Nature. They offer the most colorful expressions of pure nature in the sky, water, and land — far beyond what we could imagine.
The three suggestions I would make for luminous lagoons is to bring non-DEET bug spray, wear water shoes, and try for a cloudy night, a moonlit night may take away from the glow.
One word of caution, don’t swim during a lightning storm. We did. We lived. Although I would advise against it, seeing lightning flashing overhead did add to the “loominous” vibe.
Thanks for reading! I hope everyone finds time to experience awe in the natural wonders of the world.
Thanks to Glad Doggett and The World Traveler’s Blog for editing services and for the prompt: #naturalwonders
