Stay Eat Events Weather Beaches

Oregon Coast Stranger Things: When Sand Glows or Sings

Published 08/31/2017 at 4:57 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff


(Oregon Coast) – There are no multi-dimensional monsters hiding along the Oregon coast, but there are some awfully strange things on the beaches at the right moment. Sand that glows and even sand that sings are two wild and beautifully oddball things you could encounter here, if your timing is lucky. (Above: playing with light orbs at Lost Creek near Waldport).

It's proof that actual science is much more spectacular than fiction.

Glowing sand shows up as tiny, greenish-bluish sparks, mostly in wet sand that is near where the tide is at that moment. You'll need to find a very dark beach at night, with no light interference from street lights or the moon – which means you may have to wait for a cloudy night or until the moon descends.

Rub your feet in the sand, going backwards, and as the sand kicks up you'll see those tiny flashes of light. More on glowing sand.

If you're really lucky, they'll be lurking in a pool of water and what you'll see is a sudden galaxy of teeny, tiny stars explode under your foot.

The cause is a form of phytoplankton called dinoflagellates, nearly-microscopic plant-like creatures that are bioluminescent, like fireflies. They give off a sudden glow when their cell wall is touched.

Certain times of the year increase your chances of seeing them, thanks to warmer weather. From summer through to the middle of October you tend to see more of the dinoflagellates. A stretch of sunny days can sort of “charge them up,” so to speak. But they show in other seasons when there's just a lot of blooming of phytoplankton, period. A few sunny days and a stint of stormy wave action to churn them up can bring them out in droves as well.

There is no standard formula for what makes them appear, however. You simply have to hit the beaches at night and look.

Sands that sing are much, much rarer, and it only happens on about two spots on the Oregon coast: just south of Cannon Beach and at the southern portions of the National Dunes Recreation Area south of Florence. Sometimes, it sounds like distant voices singing. Others, it's a bit like a violin or an odd, elongated squeaking noise. This, too, only happens under certain conditions, when two different kinds of sands grind together under the right degree of humidity.

In the Cannon Beach area it's extremely rare, and in fact mankind's presence may have eliminated it altogether. There don't seem to be any concrete incidences of it happening in recent decades, and all mentions of it apparently come from almost 100 years ago. What is slightly more common here, however, is the squeaking sands. Under the right conditions you get a squeaking noise out of the dunes when walking on them. More on singing sands, including video.

Singing sands is a tiny bit more frequent in the National Dunes Recreation Area. Even so, some park rangers who've worked at the Dunes for 20 years haven't heard it.

It's a once-in-a-lifetime find, if you happen upon the real thing. Catching the “real thing” is the catch, however. There are other noises the sands here can make – almost as rare at times.

Oregon Coast Beach Connection has some documentation of it occurring in Waldport in the '70s. More photos of similar sights below. Oregon Coast Lodgings for this event - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

See more on these subjects in the books:








More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

 

Oregon Coast event or adventure you can't miss

 



Coastal Spotlight


LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Decay Hits Beloved Oregon Coast Tree, Now the Newport Icon Must Be Cut Down
Yaquina Bay Tree stands in the middle of the road at the park. Newport, Yachats, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay
Oregon Coast Range Highway Gets Emergency Work After Numerous Mishaps
Roadway is being removed to leave gravel as a stop-gap measure. Seaside, Astoria, Cannon Beach, traffic, Manzanita
'Bump' on Highway 26 to Oregon Coast Causing Damage, Hazards. Major Action Taken
ODOT is taking drastic action after it caused crashes, severe car damage. Seaside, Astoria, Cannon Beach, traffic, Manzanita
Volunteers Needed for Garden Near Coos Bay: Help Out Oregon Coast Landmark at...
Inviting everyone to roll up their sleeves and join its Garden Volunteer Days. Coos Bay events, south coast events
Cannon Beach, Oregon Coast Virtual Tour, Maps, Complete Guide
Deep Details: Mileposts, Beach Accesses, Maps, Over 100 pages
Oregon's Extreme Weather This Week Includes Lightning, 28-ft Surf, Hail, Poss...
Into Washington: a chance of severe thunderstorms; high surf on coast, large hail
Rockaway Beach Oregon Coast Weather, Alerts, Current Conditions, Cams, Foreca...
Wave height, buoy cam, data from buoys and ships nearby, wind station
Killer Whales Return to Oregon Coast with More Than 10 Off Depoe Bay
Orcas are back as if on cue, might see them through June. Marine sciences, weather

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted

Oregon Coast Lodging
Rentals
Specials

Dining

Events Calendar

Oregon Coast Weather

Travel News

Search for Oregon Coast Subjects, Articles

Virtual Tours, Maps
Deep Details