aeblog

night waves

It was blowing around 25 knots the whole day a few weekends ago when I was up on Islesboro. Usually the seabreeze calms right down as the afternoon wears into the evening and night, but this time it didn't. The wind just kept on going, and it was almost as if it didn't belong there, at night. It sounded so different - pushing through the spruce tops and roughing up the ocean - than it does when I can see.

So I walked to the town beach and began recording. I got some amazing stereo separation of waves crashing onto the rocks and shooting up between the volcanic fingers. I just don't understand why the sounds were so much more magical without light. I can close my eyes during the day, but it's not the same. Do sound waves travel differently through dark air? Can my recorder capture this subtlety?

Perhaps it all is in my head, but I don't care. It's beautiful and calming and powerful and exciting and I will put it to good use soon.