Swimming in Light

My brother and I went to Puerto Rico in August, and on our third night we took a kayak tour of a bioluminescent bay. I had seen pictures. I did not believe them.

We paddled through a dark mangrove channel with only the stars above us. Then we came out into the bay, and the guide told us to put our hands in the water.

When I did, the water lit up. Bright blue-green sparks swirled around my fingers like underwater fireworks. Every paddle stroke left a glowing trail. Fish darting under the kayak looked like comets.

The guide explained it was tiny plankton that glow when they're disturbed. I understood the science. It didn't matter. It was pure magic.

My brother, who's a very serious accountant, splashed the water with both hands and laughed like a little kid. I haven't heard him laugh like that since we were children. We talked about it the whole flight home.