A sparkling spectacle of light emissions (and other surprises along the way) transpired on a bioluminescence tour.
We signed up for a tour to experience this chemical reaction of marine life but had no idea that the other details of the tour would eclipse the actual bioluminescence itself!

An 8:00 p.m. tour of Anderson’s Lagoon in Hopkins, Belize revealed such a different side of our Caribbean and Central American vacation destination. While we had been used to the beach horizon with perfect clouds, seabirds, and soft sands, the lagoon tour gave us quite an experience on the Sitee River and adjacent mangroves. Instead of seabirds from the beach, these bodies of water included many nocturnal animals. Finding them isn’t as easy as it sounds. Embarking the small boat with other passengers, we were handed flashlights which would become our only controlled light source in the black of night. Our expert guide told us where to hold  and place the flashlights to look for the eye-shine of the nocturnal animals that would lurk among the trees and banks of the river. Many of us had never heard the word “eye-shine” before. Looking for the eye-shine of these animals was challenging. I felt frustrated that I could not spot the animals’ eye-shine unless the guide pointed them out with his laser. It felt a lot like the times I had ultrasounds for my pregnancies and could not see the details on my babies that my husband and doctor could see.

I relaxed and enjoyed floating down the river, trusting the guide to identify the animals. Night herons, owls, iguanas, crocodiles, and jaguars were among the animals that live among the treetops and banks of the Sitee River and its mangroves. We saw all of those animals except the jaguars. Since I couldn’t take photos due to the darkness, I relinquished myself into the passiveness of the night tour. There was a duality of both trust and fear (or more nervousness than fear) in my feelings that night. I don’t care for pitch dark but it added to the mystique of this excursion. For 45 minutes, we glided through the river with the mangrove hedges hugging each side of the narrow river. Curtains of folded palm trees dangled over onto the water. I wondered which of us are the spectators here? The passengers or the animals? I felt like we were the uninvited guests into the animals’ sanctuary. On the other hand, maybe it was an interaction between us all; a communication or dynamic that was meant to occur.

A perfect foreshadowing of how much more exciting the night would become awaited us around the corner. Still glowing from a recent fire, embers from a burning tree spit into the dark sky with a slow, rhythmic spark. The crackling, smoldering embers dramatically reminded me how nature evolves, reacts, and adapts. It was a perfect finale to the river portion of this experience. Then, our boat entered the lagoon where we were the sole boat in the middle of Anderson’s Lagoon. That part of the tour lasted another hour, approximately. The dark, snug sky was illuminated by starlight, shooting stars, and moonlight. It was like looking at a ceiling of diamonds. Due to the lack of light pollution from a city, the sky clarity was mesmerizing. Anyone who has experienced a star gazing tour knows the sensation of an intensely bright sky. I was grateful for the light because the water was still, quiet, and dark. Far away from the marina (it felt like), I had to have complete trust that we were safe. It was a soul rescue for me. I needed this. Humans crave being in control and in charge but I was propelled towards this direction of dependence….depending and trusting our guide. We studied the constellations and dove into conversations of astrology and astronomy. I noted how the sky mirrored the lagoon as our moving boat and waving hands in the water activated the bioluminescence. Glow in the dark had its ultimate meaning that night.

Beyond the science of this night, I also felt the romance of it. Since there were three other passengers onboard who we didn’t know, I reserved my usual public displays of affection for my husband. I laid my head on his shoulder for a bit because I wanted to celebrate and remember the romance of this moment. How the darkness and sheer silence encapsulated the entire experience of nature, drama, surprise, unexpectedness and adventure! We are in our fifties. How much more adventure awaits us? Noone knows or is promised a timeline of  experiences. We have to find them and harness them.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

(photos from internet except for the 2 photos of us)