Researchers at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography led an experiment at a San Diego beach that temporarily turned the seawater pink with nontoxic environmentally safe dye. The project, titled Plumes in Nearshore Conditions, studied the coastal zone where a river meets the ocean to better understand how small freshwater outflows interacted with the surfzone. Campus photographer Erik Jepsen leapt into the ocean to capture a photo of the pink waves. The photo was featured across UC San Diego media and published by hundreds of local, national, and international media outlets, including USA Today, Reader’s Digest, CBS News, Forbes, Popular Science, and SURFER Magazine.
From the Judges
This intriguing photo captures an unusual pink wave, draws viewers in with its vibrant color, and sparks curiosity. The photo succeeds in its deceptively simple composition—but getting down into the water and framing with the wave so close is not simple at all.
