Sea sparkle micro-organisms give off a magical blue glow at South Holland beaches

Sea sparkle, or Noctiluca scintillans, has been sighted in the waters around The Hague and Westland in South Holland. Beach visitors have captured this magical blue glow from popular Dutch beaches like Scheveningen and ‘s-Gravenzande. 

This marine-dwelling species of single-celled algae gives off a bio luminescence of blue light when moved around, such as during the action of coastal waves. It typically occurs during warm, sunny, windless weather.

Sea sparkle feeds on plankton, fish eggs and types of bacteria. It does not give unlimited light, though. The sea spark “blossoms” and then the algae makes the pigment carotene. Once it reaches this stage, it no longer lights up.