Mystery as friends both found dead after setting off in canoe to see eerie Bay Area luminescence
A pair of friends were found dead after they set off for a late-night canoe trip to see the Bay Area’s mesmerizing luminescence, officials said.
Casey Flynn Melia, 36, and an unidentified person were found dead on Sunday around 1:30pm after they left for the voyage around midnight in Tomales Bay – a narrow inlet in Marin County, California.
The unknown man was found in the water, while Melia was found on shore, just north of Hog Island, NBC Bay Area reported.
They were both pronounced dead at the scene.
Melia, of San Francisco, and his friend were wearing life jackets, authorities said.
They were reported missing after they failed to return from their trip as planned, the Marin County Fire Department told the San Francisco Chronicle.
The details of what led to their deaths remain unknown. The investigation is being led by the Sonoma and Marin County Sheriff’s Offices.
Melia’s official cause of death is pending. Routine toxicology testing and a post-mortem examination are scheduled for later this week, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office said.
A pair of friends were found dead on Sunday afternoon after they set out in a canoe in Tomales Bay around midnight to witness the yearly luminescence spectacle
The spectacle takes place when the small organisms in algae, known as dinoflagellates, bloom after they become agitated. (Pictured: Bioluminescence in San Diego in 2024)
Tomales Bay is known for its dangerously cold water, hazardous conditions near the sandbar and the mouth, and strong afternoon winds.
The friends had planned to camp at White Gulch Beach, which is located directly on the western shore of Tomales Bay, according to the Chronicle.
They ventured into the water to witness the annual bioluminescence, a phenomenon that is sometimes visible along the bays and coast in California.
The spectacle takes place when the small organisms in algae, known as dinoflagellates, bloom after they become agitated.
The tiny organisms emit flashes of light through a chemical reaction with a molecule called luciferin and an enzyme known as luciferase, causing a vibrant blue color to glow in the water.
Bioluminescence takes place every year from June to October in Tomales Bay.
The phenomenon also takes place in other locations across the US, including the Outer Banks, North Carolina.
It also occurs in Vieques, Puerto Rico; Space Coast, Florida; San Diego, California; San Juan Island, Washington; Gulf Shores, Alabama; Tybee Island, Georgia; and Kona, Hawaii, according to Travel + Leisure.
Both men were wearing life jackets, authorities said. They were reported missing after they failed to return from their trip as planned. (Pictured: Stock image of canoers in Tomales Bay)
Bioluminescence occurs most commonly among squid, fish, and ‘gelatinous zooplankton’, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.
The ‘gelatinous’ species include jellyfish, comb jellies, siphonophores, and other sea animals that are mostly made of water, the agency added.
The Daily Mail contacted the Sonoma and Marin County Sheriff’s Offices, as well as the Marin County Fire Department and the Marin County Coroner’s Office for comment.
