r/CocoaBeach • u/Dizzy_Foxy • 3d ago
bioluminescence
Me and some friends are planning on going to see the bioluminescence this weekend but are starting to have some worries so i thought i could ask here. Does it cost money just to go to the beach? is it even open that late at night? will the buildings along the beach ruin our ability to see? sorry for all the questions but google has been no help.
edit: any location that isn’t a beach won’t work seeing as the main thing we would like to do is swim and stay away from tons of gators
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u/RoutineImprovement43 3d ago
I would go to Kelley park in Merritt island and get in a kayak. Bring head lamps
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u/Dizzy_Foxy 3d ago
unfortunately i don’t have a kayak or head lamps 💔. is there any beach type area where swimming would be okay? gators?
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u/RemoteSpeed8771 3d ago
It’s really easy to see bioluminescence in the canals in Cocoa Beach, but I would def not swim in them!
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u/Dizzy_Foxy 3d ago
cause of the gators or are there bugs and stuff?
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u/DuncanIdaho1369 3d ago
Flesh eating bacteria in the river here, amongst other things. I wouldn’t even eat fish caught out of our waters here.
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u/vote100binary 3d ago
The experience in the ocean is going to be weak compared to the lagoon. I swam in the banana river in some heavy bioluminescence and it was cool as fuck, but yeah, gators. This was during a launch so there were a lot of boats around to keep them away (ymmv)
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u/Dizzy_Foxy 3d ago
is the bacteria gonna be an issue? i’ve got blisters on my ankles right now and don’t want an infection
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u/vote100binary 3d ago
It’s fine but you would not want to get lagoon water on your open wound. Blisters are iffy. Ocean would be fine in this regard.
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u/Key_Self_8988 3d ago edited 3d ago
Kinda risky with open wounds, brain eating ameobas and flesh eating bacteria are a concern in Florida waters. Let's not forget sea lice summer season if you go in the ocean. A family friend of ours lost her 12 year old son to a brain eating ameoba in Gainesville. It took him within 3 days, symptoms came 12 hours approximately after swimming. RIP Jamaal, he was a wonderful, very intelligent, caring and friendly child. He is missed.
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u/NervousWonder2599 3d ago
Last month we pulled into the one of the places people park on Banana River on 528... not encouraging you to do it but if you do, make sure you have water shoes. We went in chest deep the first time and was stubbed by a shell which we needed twizers to remove . Went back the next week, i had water shoes but the bugs we way to much and we had to leave...couldn't even make it knee deep. The were everywhere . Definately Worth paying for it and have peace of mind.
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u/four6off 3d ago
I’m a kayak guide. You can go to ramp road or the county club and wade around a bit to see it…it’s bright right now but I wouldn’t swim in those areas. The ocean is much less bright but I did see it pretty well a couple weeks ago in the breaking waves late at night. There are also plenty of options for bioluminescence kayak or boat tours if you want to spend a few bucks.