![\"Point](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sammie-chaffin-P7hmNlLa3Zo-unsplash "\\"Point")
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Point Reyes National Seashore experiences purple waves.<\/p>\n
Sammie Chaffin<\/p>\n
Unsplash<\/p>\n
\u201cStriking\u201d purple waves are crashing onto the Northern California coastline, according to an online newsfeed.<\/p>\n
\u201c(It\u2019s) not something you see every day, a purple wave in Point Reyes<\/a>\u201d in Marin County, The West Marin Feed wrote in a Sunday, May 3, on X.<\/p>\n According to experts, the violet-colored waves aren\u2019t the result of someone pouring dye into the water.<\/p>\n Instead, the color change is linked to a natural phenomenon that\u2019s common in the spring and summer.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what to know:<\/p>\n https:\/\/x.com\/WestMarinFeed\/status\/2051096282106929155?s=20<\/p>\n What is causing California waves to turn purple?<\/p>\n Red- or purple-hued waves are the result of phytoplankton<\/a> \u2014\u201cmicroscopic, single-celled plants that occur naturally in our coastal waters,\u201d the California Sea Grant said.<\/p>\n These tiny, plant-like creatures use photosynthesis to turn sunlight into energy.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen conditions are right, phytoplankton populations can grow explosively<\/a>, a phenomenon known as a bloom,\u201d NASA said.<\/p>\n Although phytoplankton serve as food for fish, whales and other animals, they can also be deadly, according to NASA.<\/p>\n \u201cCertain species of phytoplankton produce powerful biotoxins, making them responsible for so-called \u2018red tides,\u2019 or harmful algal blooms,\u201d NASA said. \u201cThese toxic blooms can kill marine life and people who eat contaminated seafood.\u201d<\/p>\n Why do red tides look red?<\/p>\n According to the California Sea Grant, the phytoplankton cells that cause red tides contain \u201cpigments for capturing sunlight needed for cell nourishment, growth and reproduction.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThese pigments can give off a reddish color when millions of cells are concentrated in each gallon of seawater along our coast,\u201d said the California Sea Grant, a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the state of California universities across the Golden State.<\/p>\n \u201cIndividual phytoplankton are tiny, but when they bloom by the billions, the high concentrations of chlorophyll and other light-catching pigments change the way the surface reflects light,\u201d NASA explained.<\/p>\n Not all red tides are actually red.<\/p>\n Phytoplankton blooms can also make water appear purple, burgundy, brown, green or even yellow, experts say.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you were to look at just one of these cells under a microscope it might actually have a golden-brown color,\u201d the California Sea Grant said.<\/p>\n When do red tides occur?<\/p>\n In California, the majority of red tides occur between early spring and late summer, according to the California Sea Grant.<\/p>\n That\u2019s when \u201csunlight increases and the relentless mixing of the water by winter storms subsides,\u201d NASA explained, adding that vigorous wave member in the winter may bring \u201cnutrients up from deeper waters into the sunlit layers at the surface.\u201d<\/p>\n Phytoplankton blooms can be found along the California coast<\/a>, from Humboldt Bay in Eureka to the Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara<\/a> to Scripps Pier in La Jolla, according to NASA and the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System.<\/p>\n What are jellyfish-like animals in the waves?<\/p>\n According to The West Marin Feed, juvenile salps were found in the purple waves in Point Reyes.<\/p>\n Although they\u2019re often mistaken for jellyfish,<\/a> these barrel-shaped, gelatinous zooplankton don\u2019t have tentacles, according to the Nippon Foundation Nereus Program in Vancouver, British Columbia.<\/p>\n \u201cUnlike jellyfish, they also have complex nervous and digestive systems with a brain, heart and intestines,\u201d the global partnership of scientific institutes said, and feed \u201cthrough a mesh by pumping water through their bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the Catalina Island Marine Institute, salps are energy-efficient organisms<\/a> who eat and swim at the same time.<\/p>\n Salps\u2019 favorite snack<\/a> is phytoplankton, according to the nonprofit outdoor science school.<\/p>\n \u201cSalps can devour entire blooms by rapidly cloning themselves and forming huge chains,\u201d the Catalina Island Marine Institute said.<\/p>\n Are algae blooms are dangerous to humans?<\/p>\n Algal blooms can harm people, animals or the environment<\/a>, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n Cyanobacteria can be found in fresh water, while dinoflagellates and diatoms live in saltwater environments such as oceans and brackish waters, the CDC said.<\/p>\n \u201cSerious symptoms are most often caused by eating seafood<\/a> containing harmful algal bloom toxins,\u201d the CDC said.<\/p>\n \u201cGoing in water with a harmful algal bloom or breathing in sea spray may cause more mild symptoms\u201d such as coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath, a sore throat, eye irritation or a rash, the federal health agency said.<\/p>\n If you swim in waters affected by a toxic algae bloom, the CDC said you should remove all contaminated clothing and accessories<\/a> and wash your body with soap and water for at least 10 minutes.<\/p>\n If you think you got sick from the algal blooms, call a healthcare provider or contact your local Poison Center<\/a> at 800-222-1222<\/a>.<\/p>\n Can my pet get sick from swimming in toxic algae?<\/p>\n \u201cAnimals can be poisoned by swimming in or swallowing water with a harmful algal bloom<\/a>,\u201d the CDC said, as well as eating algae, fish or shellfish in affected waters.<\/p>\n Animals can get seriously sick or die within hours to days of contact with harmful algal blooms or their toxins,\u201d the CDC said.<\/p>\n If your pet swims in the toxic blooms, wash them off immediately with clean water and call a veterinarian if they show any of these signs:<\/p>\n Loss of energyLoss of appetiteVomitingStumbling or fallingFoaming at the mouthDiarrheaConvulsionsExcessive droolingTremors and seizuresAny unexplained sickness<\/p>\n Loading\u2026<\/p>\n This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 1:03 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n