Isolation affects the dream state; a glimpse of distant traces of people is as close as you can get these days. The ocean at night is already an alternate universe, especially after weeks in isolation. Edges are blurred, as people slip into the sea. The echo of a figure emerges from the surf along the shoreline, and surfers cut through the ocean to chase waves, lighting up the water an electric blue as they activate the bioluminescence.
An unusually long-lasting and widespread red tide visited the southern California coastline in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, putting on a nightly show of bioluminescent waves from San Diego to Los Angeles for nearly a month. People ventured out of hiding to see the phenomenon, drawn from the safety of their homes by the promise of viewing the rare and mesmerizing natural occurrance. What would already be a surreal experience was heightened by the psychological state of that moment in time, turning the nights along the coast into a strange waking dream.
Molly Peters Photography
Molly Peters is a Tucson-based photographer working in fine art photography and documentary storytelling.