Green flash?

[waiting2retire]

This is the first I have ever heard of the green flash. Now that I know about it, I will watch for it every chance I get! Is it quick enough that if I choose that split-second to blink I will miss it??

 

Bonnie

[Pete Jackson]

Not that quick; it lasts for about two seconds or so.

[seaisme]

it's so special! experiences like this are a life-time memory! once, when I was walking on the Gulf beach in the early AM (I lived right on the beach for three months), I got to see three distinct rainbows over the Gulf. Awesome! and there were times (evening) when I got to see Sea Turtles come on shore to dig for a nest. Can't even begin to describe that experience! so for everyone out there...just try to absorb the experience!

[OldCodger73]

I saw it while having diner at a beach side restaurant in Puerto Vallarta. Before that I had always thought it to be a myth.

[IKE]

I never heard of anyone seeing a "Green Flash"! I will most definitely keep my eyes open and watch for it on our next cruise. It must be so exciting to see.Thank You for bringing it to my attention. IKE

[SacDr]

We have seen the Green Flash three times. Twice in the Caribbean and once in the Mediteranean. Always on the Statendam. It really does exist.

Cheers,

SacDr

[cactuslady]

 

Do you see them from San Diego at any particular time of year?

 

Don't recall. The air is, almost without exception, always warmer than the water there.

[serendipity1499]

Friends say I'm gullible & often kid me about it, so I always thought that DH & my dearest Friend were pulling my leg! We sailed thousands of miles & I had never seen it...I should have known my Friend wasn't Fibbing...Was I surprised & excited when I saw it last year for the first time!

 

It's quite a thrill & I'll never forget it...Just like when Seaisme saw her Rainbows & Sea Turtles digging their nests..

 

Happy cruising all..:) Betty

 

P.S. My Friend's DH still doesn't believe us..;)

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

Add Grand Turk to the list. Not while cruising, though -- we were sitting on the beach and watching the sunset. We watched for several days before we finally saw it, but it was pretty amazing!

[trubey]

I just decided to come back to visit cc and what should I find but a thread about the green flash! Thanks, Cactus Lady!

 

Look for it in evenings when there is absolutely no cloud cover just upon the horizon (a little above won't hurt). Then, just as you would expect to see the last of the sun disappear into the ocean, you can sometimes see the flash. Often it is only for the tiniest fraction of a second, but sometimes it seems to last a wee bit longer and you can catch some blue in there, too.

 

Just don't forget and blink or turn your head at the crucial moment.

 

FYI, I have never seen this from a ship, but I do see it frequently from my own gardens.

 

susana.

[bepsf]

I just decided to come back to visit cc and what should I find but a thread about the green flash! Thanks, Cactus Lady!

FYI, I have never seen this from a ship, but I do see it frequently from my own gardens.

 

susana.

 

Susana--

 

Have missed your friendly posts here...

 

I truly hope that all is well w/ you and your DH on your Mid-Atlantic island paradise.

 

Huggs to both of you,

 

--B

[sail7seas]

Susana....

 

How good to hear from you. Hope things are good for you both. Please come visit us often.

 

[sailrnav]

I have only seen it once, but it was spectacular. We were anchored off the north end of the island of Riatea, Bora Bora was just on the horizon. The setting sun turned green and the whole horizon had a greenish cast for about a second.

[cruzinnluvinit]

I have only seen it once, but it was spectacular. We were anchored off the north end of the island of Riatea, Bora Bora was just on the horizon. The setting sun turned green and the whole horizon had a greenish cast for about a second.

I think I have a picture of a green flash but can't figure out how to put it on here. It was downloaded onto my computer.

 

Linda

[arzz]

I just found this thread as it popped up today.

 

I was semi-convinced, as many of you, that the green flash was an urban myth as I had looked for it every trip to the caribbean for years-- until January 23, 2007 -- we were at dinner on the Prinsendam, steaming south from Coquimbo, Chile to Valparaiso, Chile. The sky was perfectly clear. Only three out of six of us at the dinner table actually saw the flash, but since it was confirmed by two of my dinner companions I know that I did not just imagine what I saw. I diligently watched for it every night for the rest of the trip, but we never again had a sunset sky that was quite as clear as we had that night.

[Sage]

My DH claims to have seen the green flash on our cruise to Hawaii on the Volendam last year. I blinked just as the sun was setting, and I missed it. Oh well, I guess this just calls for another cruise to Hawaii. :D

[jhannah]

Sage, I like your reasoning! ;)

[duck tune]

I saw the green flash in Cozumel this October on the Veendam while we were still docked. The RCCL ship docked next to us was leaving and as it backed out I realized that the sun was close to setting so I specifically watched for the green flash. Yes I saw it and it was wonderful.

[jhannah]

Are you sure it wasn't just the third Wang-Wang you just finished? ;)

 

I've never seen it, but will be trying it next time we sail (January.)

[barbon2]

Jhannah, you said what I was going to say....

Spend a few hours at the Ocean Bar and bet ya you will see quite a few green flashes.

Barbara

[cdkempton]

We looked for the green flash on our South America cruise and never saw it. I have just googled "green flash" and came up with several sites that talk about the flash in the Spanish Canary Islands. Since we'll be there next April :D we'll give it a look again and hope to see it on this cruise. Gotta keep trying. :D

Colette

[manbehindthecurtain]

Even though it might appear so, the green flash really is not THAT rare, it can be seen in pretty much every place in the world, all you really need it good clear skies (=the sun should not be bright red during sunset). Since at sea there tends to be a lot less pollution in the air, the chance of seeing it when at sea is much greater than on land, but it's not impossible.

 

I think I have seen the green flash probably about 60 times, some even at sunrise. True, that's a bit more difficult, but especially with some high clouds in the sky you can see the brightest spot before sunrise and then its just waiting for it to appear. I've once even seen a double one: while sailing west into Juan de Fuca straits, there was a perfect inversion (where the horizon is mirrored above the actual horizon, you'll also see ships sail upside down on it). Sunset had a nice green flash, and so you could really see 2 of them!

 

Higher latitudes give longer green flashes, as the sun takes longer to set there (around the equator it gets dark really fast after sunset).

[cruzinnluvinit]

Even though it might appear so, the green flash really is not THAT rare, it can be seen in pretty much every place in the world, all you really need it good clear skies (=the sun should not be bright red during sunset). Since at sea there tends to be a lot less pollution in the air, the chance of seeing it when at sea is much greater than on land, but it's not impossible.

 

I think I have seen the green flash probably about 60 times, some even at sunrise. True, that's a bit more difficult, but especially with some high clouds in the sky you can see the brightest spot before sunrise and then its just waiting for it to appear. I've once even seen a double one: while sailing west into Juan de Fuca straits, there was a perfect inversion (where the horizon is mirrored above the actual horizon, you'll also see ships sail upside down on it). Sunset had a nice green flash, and so you could really see 2 of them!

 

Higher latitudes give longer green flashes, as the sun takes longer to set there (around the equator it gets dark really fast after sunset).

Take a look at this site. It has some great pictures.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_flash

 

Linda

[Jsipes]

I have over 2500 days at sea since 1964. I have only seen the GREEN FLASH ONE TIME !! I think I was in the South Pacific, hard to remember where I saw it. And as a Bridge Officer I logged at least 8 hours per day looking out at the sea. I agree with those who have seen it.... it is just a flash....and its gone. But I'll never forget it. I personally thought for years it was a myth, until I was lucky enough to witness it. I believe it is caused by the setting sun's light rays passing through the crest of a wave on the earths horison (approx 20 n. miles from normal bridge height) If seen from a sailboat of course the visible horison would be much closer, and being low on the water chances are increased for the refraction through the wave crest exactly at sunset. Nice subject for conjecture..........Thanks !!!:) Am on Osterdam's Dec 1st fm San Diego..... another chance to look for it , about the time we pass Los Coronados.

[seaisme]

saw the green flash from land...Bradenton Beach (south of Tampa and north of Sarasota Florida) once. And it truely was green! It was beautiful. Also got to see a beautiful QUAD rainbow one morning on the beach. It's a paradise walking on the beach every morning and evening.

Cass