"Blue tears” spotted along Sai Kung coast
Local | 13 Mar 2022 5:11 pm
Blue fluorescent glow was spotted along Sai Kung’s coasts over the weekend in a phenomenon known as “blue tears”.
Caused by a single-cell organism called Noctiluca scintillans, the glow illuminated High Island Reservoir East Dam, Pak Lap Wan, and Po Pin Chau in Sai Kung.
The ghostly phenomenon beckoned “tear chasers” — those who chase down the bioluminescent glow wherever they might be, who photographed the glowing blue coastline and uploaded pictures online.
Max Yau was among the people who chases the glow at at the East Dam of the High Island Reservoir at 3.30am Sunday.
“I’ve heard many people talking about this phenomenon on the internet before, but it was the first time for me to see it with my own eyes,” Yau told The Standard.
“At about 3.30am, suddenly the blue emerged and the waves kept hitting the sea shore. The scene was magnificent and stunning,” he said.
He said the “blue tears” stayed for over an hour until 5am, but they diministed in strength starting 4am.
Also known as a “sea of stars” or “sea sparkle”, the blue glow was named one of the 15 wonders of the world by CNN. But the tears, albeit majestic, are actually linked to water pollution caused by human activities.
University of Georgia oceanographer Samantha Joye said that the phenomenon is caused when the Noctiluca reacts to high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are chemicals abundant in agricultural pollution and household sewage.
Although Noctiluca does not produce harmful chemicals, the organism can indirectly exacerbate the accumulation of algae toxins in seawater. Their growth near the surface of the water may also deplete oxygen levels, causing other organisms to die and disrupting the ecosystem.
In recent years, waters in Sai Kung, Repulse Bay, and Deep Water Bay have been lit up by the bioluminescent algae.
