The Singing Sea

[carstenb]

I was rereading an old blog about our Atlantic crossing several years ago and Vinni had written about the night I heard the sea singing.

She thought I was kidding - but I wasn't. I did hear the sea singing and I heard it for several hours.

No, I was not drunk, nor had I smoked any "happy tobacco".

I've read in books about sailors of yore who heard the sea singing.

Have you ever heard it? That night it was like hearing a gigantic mens choir humming- tenors, baritones, bass all interweaving with each other. Amazingly beautiful.

So - was I crazy or are there others out there that have heard it?

[shufti]

We used to hear the humpbacks in Hervey Bay some still nights when we were anxhored up reef fishing. When it happened, I’d open the engine room hatches (ie the floor)in the saloon - boat acted like a soundbox. They were beautiful nights.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by shufti

We used to hear the humpbacks in Hervey Bay some still nights when we were anxhored up reef fishing. When it happened, I’d open the engine room hatches (ie the floor)in the saloon - boat acted like a soundbox. They were beautiful nights.

We were unbelievably lucky and had the humpbacks sing lullaby's for us when were anchored off Maui last year.

Imagine lying in your bunk listening to whale songs as the boat gently rocks.............................

[shufti]

Yeah, it's special alright.


When you heard the singing (described in your OP) - were you underway?

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Have you ever heard it? That night it was like hearing a gigantic mens choir humming- tenors, baritones, bass all interweaving with each other. Amazingly beautiful.

I've heard that on a Pacific crossing. I didn't talk about it at the time.

I don't talk about such things, because of the reaction from my crew when I came on deck and on watch and reported having had, while off-watch and asleep, a complex conversation with Eduard Shevardnadze.

Crew looked at me quite strangely, so I moved such topics into the category of 'things never mentioned on voyage'.

[JPA Cate]

Yes, Carsten, I've heard it, too, often.

One of the unsung rewards of cruising.

Ann

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by shufti

Yeah, it's special alright.


When you heard the singing (described in your OP) - were you underway?

About half way across the Atlantic

[sck5]

Yes, I heard it often (angel voices!) while on ocean passages. A shrink I know said it is because our brains always try to impose some order or pattern on what we hear. The sounds of wind and water on the hull are pretty random but our minds want them to BE something. Especially when we are half asleep and/or very tired.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by sck5

Yes, I heard it often (angel voices!) while on ocean passages. A shrink I know said it is because our brains always try to impose some order or pattern on what we hear. The sounds of wind and water on the hull are pretty random but our minds want them to BE something. Especially when we are half asleep and/or very tired.

Who am I to refute this? although as far as I'm concerned - I heard singing

Ann seems also to have heard - many times she says

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by sck5

Yes, I heard it often (angel voices!) while on ocean passages. A shrink I know said it is because our brains always try to impose some order or pattern on what we hear. The sounds of wind and water on the hull are pretty random but our minds want them to BE something. Especially when we are half asleep and/or very tired.

A very reasonable hypothesis.

The only additional research question I can propose is: of those who hear the choral voices, how many have tinnitus?

On our small vessel, only I hear the choral voices. And only I have tinnitus.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

A very reasonable hypothesis.

The only additional research question I can propose is: of those who hear the choral voices, how many have tinnitus?

On our small vessel, only I hear the choral voices. And only I have tinnitus.

Hmmm- another interesting hypothesis. but I don't have tinnitus.

A third possibility is a choir of Mermans singing to attract mermaids - but our logic doesn't accept that

[jimbunyard]

I've heard the sea 'grinding it's teeth'.

Was parked in an inlet over an oyster reef, fishing (and catching), and a distinct, low order buzzing or coarse humming sound could be heard by all on board. There was no visible explanation, but I always assumed it was just a big school of redfish and drum feeding on the oysters.

I've heard reports of mating drum-species fish congregating in large enough numbers while mating that the drumming that they're named for was loud enough to be annoying, though I've never heard it.

I know the frogs and insects at night when I moved to where I now live used to be so loud they kept me awake at first. (that is no longer the case since the introduction of 'no-human-uncomfortable' policies have literally decimated the insct and amphibian life of the local environment)

While I've never heard the singing sea, I don't see any reason that something we'd interpret as singing would be outside the realm of natural possibilities; I'd certainly hope that it would be an observable phenomena; something, maybe a rare thing, to anticipate.