Phosphorescence in the sea is a common phenomenon. However, in tropical waters it can become overwhelming, both in extent, strength of lumuiniscence and, not least, in the huge pattersn and movement it can display on the sea. I once witnessed strong phosphorescence reaching as far as the eye could see one evening in the Easter Indian Ocean in 1954. Luminescent fish could be seen swimming near the vessel. A former shipmate in London & Overseas Freighters, Ambrose, who became 2nd Officer, sent me scans of a naval journal which I have transcribed below, noting the he had made the same or similar to my observations in the Persian Gulf to the below:-

PHOSPHORESCENT WHEEL
East Indian Archipelago September 1959
by Captain W. Rutherford

As we were passing though a fleet of fishing vessels, I and the Officer on watch were keeping a sharp lookout through binoculars and thus observed the phenomenon from start to finish. The first indication of anything unusual was the appearance of white caps on the sea here and there, which made me think that the wind had freshened, but I could feel that this was no so. Then flashing beams appeared over the water, which made the Officer on watch think that the fishing boats were using powerful flashlights.

These beams of light were intense and appeared absolutely parallel - about 8 feet wide - and could be seen coming from right ahead as about half second intervals. At the time I thought I could hear the swish as they passed but decided that this was imagination. They did not appear like rings, unless it was a circle so big as to make them appear in straight lines. It was like a pedestrians angle of a huge zebra crossing passing under him whilst he's standing still. When this part of the phenomenon was at its height the sea surface appeared to be boiling, but it was more or less normal around a fishing vessel which we passed fairly close to. The lights of various fishing vessels were visible through the beams of light, though dimmed by the brightness of the latter. The character of the flashes changed and took on the appearance of beams from the lighthouse situated about 2 miles on the starboard bow or as if the centre of a giant wheel was somewhere on the starboard bow, the beams as its spokes as the beans from the wheel on the starboard bow weakened, the same pattern appeared on the port bow at the same distance and regularity. The wheel on the starboard bow revolved anti-clockwise and the one on the board now revolved clockwise. The wheel on the starboard bow diminished as the one on the port bow increased when the latter was at its peak and the one on the starboard bow had disappeared.

The next change was that the beam appeared to be travelling in the exact course of the ship like a following sea i.e. the beams now seen were a reversal of those seen at first. The Officer on watch agreed that the beams were now ‘chasing’ us. I cannot tell from how far astern these were forming as I could not actually see them further aft than the funnel (which is right aft, this ship being a tanker). I could clearly see them passing from aft along the ship's side. I was not looking very much because I was picking my way through the small fishing vessels.

Presently all the beams gradually ceased and the surface of the sea could be seen again at that time for about two minutes . As far as the eye could see there were rings of light on the sea. Though I thought the beams of light appeared to be above the surface of the water, I think this was an illusion and that the actual light was in the water, flashing in and out at regular intervals. During the wheel effect I was reminded of the apparent motion of those electric signs which give the appearance of objects moving by the flashing on and off of various lights. The ship seemmed to be in the centre of the disturbance and at one time I had the feeling that she was actually causing it and that, if I reduced speed or course, I would alter the pattern accordingly to get clear of the fishing vessels as soon as possible. Had I not read of this phenomenon in the West Coast of Indian Pilot page 18, I would have been much concerned as to the safety of the ship, especially at the first appearance of giant waves dashing towards us, I have seen the sea quite bright over large areas before but never anything to move about like this.

Note: Mr- F.W. Barlow comments:-
And observation of the phosphorescent wheel was made on the Persian Gulf in eighteen seventy nine and is the earliest one of which any record has been found. Although over 80 years have elapsed the wheel, which is subject to considerable variations in different observations, remains one of the most striking and mysterious of all natural phenomena for which no satisfactory explanation can yet be given. The observation is noteworthy on account of the unusual presence of the parallel beams before and after the appearance of the wheels. A number of observations have been received in which parallel beams have been seen to change into the wheel or vice versa. In the above observation, the direction of the parallel beams was at right angles to the ship's course this has been seen before in some observations. Beams bear no relation to the course and may on occasion change their direction rapidly.

PHOSPHORESCENCE
South Atlantic Ocean
Captain C.L. Evans, O.B.I.
MV Imperial Star Teneriffe to Cape Town August 1959
Observer, Mr D. Hulme, 4th Officer.do you hold them for officer

At 23 hours GMT the ship passed through phosphorescence in the form of bright circular flashes which appeared to come from just below the surface and were about 1 to 4 feet in diameter. The circles were brightest at the centre where the flash originated and as this radiated outwards and correspondingly decreased in intensity. Although a flash lasted only one second, the area around it continued to glow for a couple more. The phosphorescence was seen for 20 minutes.

Note: Mr- F.W. Barlow comments:-
This is a rather rare phenomenon. A number of previous observations of the same character have been received. In some of these, luminous water is seen to rise from sub-surface depth or expanding on the surface. In the remainder, including the above observations, no such rise occurs.