A “Light” Evening Paddle in Cowichan Bay

When Coastal Bliss Adventures opened its Cowichan Bay Kayaking location, we knew there was a history of bioluminescence in the bay. The question we had was whether people are willing to be kayaking as late as 11:00 pm! Moonlight tours had been a draw for a while, but they end earlier, just after the moon rises. When we started exploring the later evenings on the water, we knew quickly that bioluminescence tours would be a hit.

Bioluminescence is when living things produce light from chemical reactions in their bodies. Most people are familiar with fireflies, which are a common source of bioluminescence on land. While there are very few freshwater bioluminescent organisms, the sea environment is full of them. Many vertebrates and invertebrates produce chemiluminescence, or light from chemical reactions. We suspect that most of the bioluminescence in Cowichan Bay is produced by dinoflagellates, or tiny, plankton-like organisms. Dinoflagellates produce luciferin, the light-producing chemical compound, and an enzyme called luciferase, or photoprotein, to light up. For these creatures, if they are disturbed in the water, they light up with a tiny flash. Paddling into the estuary only lets us see this spectacular phenomenon as the light dims to a very low light in the night sky. Once it is dark enough, tiny sparkles begin to show up as the paddle moves in the water, eventually producing a blanket of light that follows the paddle. On some occasions, small fish will light up an area producing flashes in the water, or even large swaths of light under a boat. Kayaking in the evening in Cowichan Bay is one of the best times. The thermal winds have eased, and the activity has died down, making it a peaceful way to enjoy the evening and get a different perspective on the Cowichan Valley, looking up at it from the water of the bay. We usually spend two hours on our bioluminescence tours, enjoying the sunset and eventually the in-water light show that comes with the gathering darkness. With the calm water, it is a perfect tour for beginners, and we can accommodate most needs with single, double or sit-ontop kayaks.

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Georgia, Owner of Cowichan Bay Kayaking has been observing the Osprey in Cowichan Bay.