The mushrooms aren't the only things glowing in the Hunter.
A bloom of bright blur bioluminescent algae has been captured around Lake Macquarie this week. The conditions prove ideal for producing the peculiar and eerie blue glow along the shoreline at Blacksmiths, Swansea, and Belmont.
The phenomenon has been captured at various points on the NSW coast over the years, including the South Coast, Sydney and Central Coast beaches.
Central Coast photographer Robert Olive, who has also captured some mesmerising photos of the Central Coast's famous glowing mushrooms, snapped these enchanting shots of the bloom in the calmer corners of Lake Macquarie in the past few days.
Colloquially, it is called "sea sparkle" and is caused by a chemical reaction in the phytoplankton multiplying. Somewhat problematically, and notwithstanding its eerie beauty, rising sea temperatures and increasing acidity have been noted as providing the conditions the algae needs to multiply. Chemical and farming runoff can also contribute.
Bioluminescence was once considered a mysterious phenomenon that sailors and coastal residents dubbed "sea fire" and "sea twinkle".
It involves transforming chemical energy into light energy. The reaction occurs between luciferase and luciferin, which emits photons.
But while the electric-blue algal blooms are beautiful, they can also be toxic. They cause "red tides" in the day.
Interestingly, marine creatures like some fish, squid and tiny crustaceans also produce bioluminescence to confuse predators and attract prey and potential mates.
