Jun 26 2007
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“Lightwheels” In The Persian Gulf
Illustration from: The Handbook of Unusual Natural Phenomena
William R. Corliss, Crown Publishing New York 1986
This fascinating article describes the phenomenon of “marine lightwheels,” which I thought was almost a myth until one was sighted in the Straits of Hormuz by a Navy crew on the night of May 19th.
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June 26th, 2007 at 5:34 am
This was a subject that the late Fortean biologist Ivan Sanderson was fascinated with. Light wheels figure in some of his magazine articles back in the 1960s/70s and also get coverage in his book “Invisible Residents”. In his researches Sanderson came to accept these instances as NOT being sailor’s “B.S.” tales, but a real activity involving bioluminesence. He just could never figure out what the trigger mechanism was for it, nor what would explain the precise and intricate patterning of the wheels.
Has always seemed to me like “crop circles of the sea”, but I’m pretty sure Doug and Dave don’t do them. Joe Nickell likely thinks its done by owls in scuba gear.
June 26th, 2007 at 6:51 am
It’s fascinating that microorganisms would create these pulsating “concentric rings” aka pinwheels of light because just this morning I was reading of the same phenomenon in outerspace:
From an exloding sun in August 1901…
“…it had sprouted a ‘faint nebula’ that, on close examination, showed a continuous, growing texture of concentric rings, each of which kept expanding at an angular rate between two and three seconds of arc per day…it was quickly deduced that the rings must be periodic outbursts of light that were illuminating successively more and more distant parts of the nebulous surroundings of the star — in other words, the rings were actual rhythmic flashes of light moving outward through space in a stately procession at 186,282 miles a second!”
Pp. 423-4, “Music of the Spheres”, vol. II, by Guy Murchie.
So a la Fort — the stars may be not much different than the “sargasso sea” creating those “damned teleporting whirlwinds.”
June 26th, 2007 at 7:24 am
Thanks much for this one Greg.
Shag Harbour explained?
June 26th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Didn’t Columbus report something like this during his first voyage?
June 26th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Bill,
As the referenced article says, it may have been caused by a spike of solar energy present at the time of the sighting. It would be interesting to see if there was a surge in the appearance of crop circles at the same time.
June 26th, 2007 at 10:48 pm
Drew,
I’m not sure if the wheels are the same as the phenomenon you describe, but the earthly manifestation was possibly linked to a cosmic outburst as well. As you imply, though they are linked as unusual natural phenomenae which have very natural explanations.
June 26th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Jonah,
I don’t know if all the incidents at Shag Harbour could be explained by bioluminescence–not unless the microorganisms can enter and exit the water.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
uth,
Apprently, the crew and Columbus sighted a light in the distance during the first voyage, but it remained unexplained. Nothing such as “light wheels” are reported, I believe.
July 18th, 2007 at 1:42 am
The earliest accounts I can find are in a book in my personal library. It is The Home Friend, S.P.C.K., London, 1855 [pgs 258-259]. These passages [key parts in bold] mention the “curves”; the 2nd and 3rd “wheels” decreasing in brightness, sound and speed; and the bioluminescence.
It appears that there is a patch of ocean near India [near Banda District] has strange qualities. The water darkens during the day. At twilight it resembles “flat country overspread with snow”. But the really odd part is that the ocean’s surface has been reported by English and Dutch captains as having
“the whiteness…intermingled with black serpentine stripes…”
Examination of the water revealed “minute creatures” in it and “curiously-beautiful shells” floated on the surface. Apparently this phenomenon, called “the white water”, occurs twice a year. At the New Moons in June and August.
But the most extraordinary passages concern the “displays” themselves:-
A “singular phenomenon…in the Indian Ocean, known by the name of the ripples. A hollow rushing sound is heard, and a lurid light is seen advancing from an opposite direction, and coming nearer and nearer, till at last a scintillating wave dashes past the ship, followed by a second and third less violent, and then all is still again.”
“With a tremulous force of the smooth water alongside, the tumultuous line of fire, foam and noise, reaches the vessel, which reels to the shock; the spray rises over her bulwarks, and the whole rushes past like a torrent toward the opposite horizon. This strange disturbance s repeated again and again, as soon as the first has died away; the roar and hiss each time generally diminishing; and the luminous appearance less intense; the air…still, but suffocating….”
The air temperature was noted to be a few degrees cooler than the water.
The fish and marine life in that area, it was noted, have a natural luminosity:-
“Sometimes merely the track of a vessel, or anything thrown into the water, looked bright, as if the collision were necessary to draw forth the phosphoric light. Not infrequently the fish all appeared phosphorescent…leaving a long track of light behind them. Sometimes the luminous appearance was to be seen far below the surface; and then the fish, gliding on beneath the clear waves, look like wandering stars; and it seemed as if the ocean, as well as the sky, were strewn with countless orbs of light.”
So maybe these “lightwheels” have a natural explanation, after all….
Regards.
July 19th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Jon,
Fascinating stuff. The linked post had an explanation involving bioluminescent sea life arranged on some not fully understood lines of force. I wonder if there are any satellite pictures of this phenomenon?