Mystery Sound! (any ideas?)

[ssullivan]

I'm anchored near an inlet in North Carolina right now.

I am hearing a sound I've never heard in my life. It's like the sound barnacles make when they are building homes on your hull, multiplied by a loudness factor of at least 50.

It's loud... damn loud... it sound like a cross beween a floor very slowly creaking (or wood very slowly creaking) and some little tiny guys jackhammering my hull.

Now... the really strange part is, unlike barnacle growth (that crackling sound they make), this sound is JUST AS LOUD outside the boat. I can hear it when I stick my head over the side of the hull (and bow and stern) just as loudly as it is inside the boat. It's coming from the water all around me, which is not showing any signs on the surface of whatever is going on below.

What on Earth makes this kind of sound?

The water is too murky to see what it is. I shined a light, but I can't see through the water.

This noise is almost so loud I can't sleep.

And!!.... every once in a while there is a kind of loud thud!

I put my props in gear to see if something was caught on them and spinning. No change. I checked to see that I wasn't sliding over my anchor chain - no tension... very calm night.

The sounds stared just about sunset and are very loud.

Dolphins getting it on and making clicking sounds?

It is most certainly some kind of life, but I am not sure what. Any ideas?

[senormechanico]

Congratulations Sully! You're getting to warmer cllimes. It's the sound of Popcorn Shrimp getting their dinner.

Google for it and you'll find some impressive stuff.

They cock one of their claws and when dinner goes by, they snap the claw so hard it causes a shock wave that stuns their prey. It supposedly is supersonic.

The thud is probably some fish smacking the boat while also trying to catch dinner.

Steve B.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

It's the sound of Popcorn Shrimp getting their dinner.

Google for it and you'll find some impressive stuff.

.

I agree, that is what they are, but maybe the name is wrong.

I googled it and all I got was various recipies for small prawns

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENXX259&q=Popco rn+Shrimp&btnG=Google+Search

Dave

[encore]

Could be the mermaid gal you were flirting with trying to enter your boat from the depths. It sounded like she was hard up enough to try anything.

[cooper]

Yep its them little crustys....been a few threads on them before. I got told originally that it was the sound of my ferro hull tearing itself to pieces...........

[Alan Wheeler]

You did let the the surveyor out of the bilge before you locked the hatch didn't you??

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by encore

Could be the mermaid gal you were flirting with trying to enter your boat from the depths. It sounded like she was hard up enough to try anything.

LOL. I hate to think how she is making those sounds....

[ssullivan]

Popcorn shrimp! Good call.

The sound was so loud... I just couldn't figure it out. I didn't get that sound in the Caribbean (probably because I was on a megayacht with gensets running 24/7) and didn't get it anywhere from the FL Keys until I got way up north here to NC.

Now wait a second... I do have to take a little bit of exception to the "flirting" comment. Not because I care if you say it, but because my wife would. I need some crew for this delivery. My last crew didn't work out well, simple as that.

Well, maybe I don't need crew anymore since I'm well over half way done. But please don't say things like that... I'm married. I don't flirt with other ladies. Plus, um... see my wife here? Compare her to whatever girls there are out looking to crew and note that I really don't need to be flirting... ha ha Also, see her replacing the anchor light on the Gulfstar in the other photo - couldn't really see a good reason to be "flirting" with potential crew.

[Vasco]

pistol shrimp. Here's the YouTube video.

YouTube - Pistol Shrimp

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by Vasco

pistol shrimp. Here's the YouTube video.

THAT is cool!! Wow. I didn't even know there was an organism that could create - basically a grenade (in a way) to blow off and stun its prey. Wish I could do that.

The sound in the background of the video is exactly what it sounded like, too... except much louder, of course.

[Herbseesmoore]

Wow is right, really like the part about the temperature of the sun.
Now i'm stunned

[David M]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

Popcorn shrimp! Good call.

The sound was so loud... I just couldn't figure it out. I didn't get that sound in the Caribbean (probably because I was on a megayacht with gensets running 24/7) and didn't get it anywhere from the FL Keys until I got way up north here to NC.

Now wait a second... I do have to take a little bit of exception to the "flirting" comment. Not because I care if you say it, but because my wife would. I need some crew for this delivery. My last crew didn't work out well, simple as that.

Well, maybe I don't need crew anymore since I'm well over half way done. But please don't say things like that... I'm married. I don't flirt with other ladies. Plus, um... see my wife here? Compare her to whatever girls there are out looking to crew and note that I really don't need to be flirting... ha ha Also, see her replacing the anchor light on the Gulfstar in the other photo - couldn't really see a good reason to be "flirting" with potential crew.

Dang Sean! That's really your wife? Your wife has absolutely nothing to worry about! ...(so long as the crew you take aboard looks more like Olive Oil.)



[IMG]file:///C:/Users/David/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg[/IMG]

Just messin with ya Sean.

I hope things have improved since we last heard.

David