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Exhausted, I fought to keep moving through the water. This was one of the most thrilling and exhilarating experiences of my life and I didn’t want to waste a second. As I pulled my hands through the inky black water, they would glow bright blue. Feeling like a super hero, every movement I made left a trail of light behind me.
We were delighted to take a tour to the Luminous Lagoon in Falmouth With Michael Currie of Faithful Waters Tours. Michael has been working in the industry for over 30 years and his charismatic personality and knowledge of the phenomenon and the surrounding areas really draws people to him.
The Luminous Lagoon is one of only four places in the world where this phenomenon is present. It is said to glow the brightest here, although I have nothing to compare this against.
The glow of the Luminous Lagoon
The lagoon harbours single cell phosphorescent organisms that sit close to the surface of the water all day, absorbing the sun’s energy. Then when the darkness sets in, these organisms react to movement in the water to glow bright.
Michael preparing the Lady Jem Boat on the Luminous Lagoon
We were picked up in an authentic bus and driven to a small dock nearby to watch the spectacular sunset. The colours streaked across the sky and were echoed in the reflections of the lagoon. I could already feel the magic brewing and anticipation growing.
The Lady Jem on the Luminous Lagoon
Once aboard the Lady Gem, Michael explained that his boat was the only one of it’s kind in operation, with a glass bottom to allow those who didn’t want to swim to still have the full experience. After picking up more people at a neighboring jetty, the boat was quite cramped, but no more so that any other boat on the lagoon.
Michael explaining the phenomenon that is the Luminous Lagoon
The magic is only visible once the sun goes down, so we sailed away from the shore to middle of the lagoon. During this journey we learnt about the mixture of the salt and fresh here where the cold river meets the warm sea.
The glow had started in the Luminous Lagoon
It was less than a minute before saw the glow through the glass bottomed boat. Everyone stilled and marveled at the sight. We were all so mesmerized that we didn’t even notice that other boats surrounding us. They all kept their distance. The lights went off.
This was it; this was the moment, the moment that I’d jump into the black lagoon to see if it REALLY was true.
I had read about the phenomenon but nothing can prepare you for how bright it is. The experience is simply otherworldly. It must be seen to be believed.
Spinning in the Luminous Lagoon
Once in the water you could really feel the pockets of cold and warm water. It wasn’t very deep so I could feel the very soft, sludgy silt under my feet. It was a hilarious sight, watching everyone’s surprise and delight. The Luminous Lagoon will always exceed expectations, as you just can’t comprehend the experience before you are there.
It was very surreal being in immersed in a completely black lagoon that was being lit from within. It almost had an x-ray feel. As the waves crested they started glowing and it was a spectacular sight to see glowing blue fish darting about the lagoon. They reminded me of shooting stars in the sky.
We spent about 40 minutes swimming in the lagoon and I’m not entirely sure how I managed to thrash around like a maniac for that long, but I didn’t want to waste any time. Would you?
You can get in touch with Michael visit his website Faithful Waters or email him at curriemichael3@gmail.com
Thank you to Michael and Faithful Waters for sponsoring our tour. However, this was an experience of a lifetime and all opinions in this article are honest and our own.
Last modified: 12th July 2016
