Bioluminescence!

Summer 2022.

Our dear friend and fellow kayak company owner, Starr, and her friend Sharon, shared with us the sheer magic of the bioluminescent phytoplankton in Tampa Bay. Now, I have seen many amazing things on the water and this experience made it to the very top! These phytoplankton are single celled organisms and light up when disturbed, making it look as though the water is glowing! The phytoplankton are classed as algae and grow as such, in blooms. They are too small to see themselves and their flash of light lasts less than a second, but there are so many of them during Tampa Bay's summer months, it makes for quite the light show!

Starr comments, "the paddle looks like a magic wand!" Sophia soon discovers the joy of shaking her hand in the water and watching it illuminate her fingers! I look in deep and, what can that be? Fish! As the fish swim below, they make a flash! Big fish, little fish, schools of fish, hunting fish! And Kevin notices something big, really big, and highlighting the water more than ever; though not confirmed, the big, slow moving light had to be a manatee.

The most special though, is hearing our paddlers' oohs and aahs. Grown women outright giggling! People working together as one paddles in the glowing water and the other tries to capture it on their cell phone. We had a woman take her 80 year old mother out in a tandem so she could check it off her bucket list! We hosted LGBTQI+ friendly paddles, bringing together young and old community members and vigorous allies. One of our loudest return paddlers, we heard fall silent in the calm of the night and the glory of the glow. We held an On the Water Meditation, OWM, as well, meditating as the sun set and welcomed back by the bioluminescence.

Not every night paddle was smooth. Like most group outings, especially on the water, there is some adversity. Being on the water at night is, well, dark. Some paddlers joined us brand new to the activity, a challenge we happily rise to. Most joined us not having paddled at night, taking comfort in a group setting. Paddling at night can be disorienting. It can make navigation harder and make it harder for motor boats to see you. So we followed US Coast Guard night regulations and put white lights that shine 360 degrees on all kayaks, told people bringing their own to do the same, donned our life jackets and hit the water. The colorful sunsets eased paddlers into the dark. The common lightning strikes miles away over the bay did no easing, but added to the beauty for many.

We saw a total of 3 flip out. Every night we took at least 2 trained guides so there were plenty of helping hands and safety gear. We saw 2 panic attacks. Both times, guides expertly stepped in and returned the paddler to shore calm. These things happen from time to time and we are always prepared. Kayak safety trained, years of on-the-water experience, and CPR certifications give our team of Goko guides the confidence to carry out these paddles. All in all, a very successful summer of getting people out to enjoy the bioluminescent phenomenon.

The other adversity we all faced was Kevin's jokes, and that is a whole other story. As the summer comes to a close, we in Florida look forward to cool 80 degree days and less rain. But we paddlers sadly watch the bioluminescence as it slowly fades away. September is the last month we will be able to enjoy this magic. We have 3 final opportunities to join us for this spectacle:

-Tonight! The last day of summer, Wednesday, Sept 21st, 7:45pm

-Monday, Sept 26th, 7:45pm LGBTQI+ Friendly

-Wednesday, September 28th, 7:30pm OWM

Stay connected by following Goko Kayaks at www.facebook.com/GokoFL & www.instagram.com/gokokayaks.

And join our free paddle clubs on Meetup.com:

-Paradise Paddlers, Tampa Bay

-Pride Paddlers and

-On the Water Meditation

So what are you waiting for? Grab your kayak, canoe, SUP, or rent one of ours and let's glow!