Bioluminescent dinoflagellates emit light when disturbed, such as by the bow of a boat passing through the water. Stepping in the wet sand produced such a disturbance, with a harder step producing a greater disturbance and therefore a greater emission of light. I've read that sunspot activity is currently at an 11-year high. Sunspots are small areas which are cooler than their surroundings and thus appear darker by contrast. For earthlings, the current peak in solar activity makes the sun far more interesting to study but also more threatening, at least for our high-tech lifestyles.
Magnetic storms can cause damage in very long, high-voltage power transmission lines.
The increased amount of charged particles in the Earth's field can also damage the delicate electronics of orbiting satellites. Since the last solar maximum, our reliance on satellite communication technology has increased tremendously and the current level of activity is cause for concern.