Tropical Beach Morning

When you imagine yourself on a tropical beach in the morning, you expect to hear the waves and nothing else. Nothing could be further from the truth. Plenty of animals (humans not excluded) try to make your wakeup time as animated as possible.

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Noise and screams are everywhere.

Angry

Despite the reputation of the Atlantic Ocean, Nova Scotia hardly gets the waves they get in western France, called Bretagne. Over there, the waves sometimes get over 20 meters high, high enough to cover lighthouses. One such lighthouse in Penmarch', called the "Phare d'Eckmuhl" is 65 meters high.

On the rocks at Western Head

In Nova Scotia, this is virtually non-existent.

January waves

The end of the year has been tumultuous, to say the least. Relaxing for a few moments along the seashore was a welcome reprieve.

Close to the waves

But the Atlantic Ocean and coast in January are hardly a welcoming place. Even if the waves are calm, the temperatures are somewhat hostile.

Osprey

Osprey speak to the imagination. They are fierce birds, often seen, rarely heard. When they nest, flocks of photographers gather beneath the nest high up on a pole or other high spot.

Osprey

The birds usually ignore the people unless they start to approach the nest.

Near the beach

The sounds on a beach are wonderful. Between the waves, the moving sand and the wind, there seems to be nothing much else, even if this is already a great soundscape. But sometimes, just sometimes, you hear something else.

Eastern Willet

In this case I was listening to a pair of Eastern Willets, yacking at each other.

Thunder Cave

The Thunder Cave at The Ovens Natural Park in Nova Scotia is not a real cave. Just a hollowed-out rock by the sea. Waves that come in there crash into the end of the cave, resulting in sometimes explosive roars. Hence the name.

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The sound is really great in there.

Coyotes

A few years ago, when I still lived in Winnipeg, there were some unsettling sounds in town. At first I couldn’t believe what they were, I thought perhaps wild dogs or something, but they were coyotes.

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When I grew up, coyotes had always been painted as fearsome beasts, a tad smaller than wolves, but just as blood thirsty.

Relief

A few weeks ago, the weather was kind of “off”. Temperatures of +30C in May are not exactly common. On top of that, wildfires popped up in way too many places. With no end in sight, the birds were somewhat “subdued”. Still singing, but not as happy as one would imagine.

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For recording their sound, that was kind of a bummer.

Freedom

If there is anything I hate with a vengeance, then it’s being tethered to something. Be that by wrist, ankle or head. Ok, I haven’t been restrained too much by my ankles or wrists, I admit. But by my head, more than enough.

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I’m not talking about some kind of security restraints like the cops put on you. I’m only talking of cables that are connected to some device and then to headphones on my head.

East coast morning

Sound and noise is all around us. We are  used to all of that. But have you ever stopped and listened to that “noise”? A big part of the environmental noise is made by humans. If you can filter it out, then you are left with the natural sound.

Sparrow singing

When the human noise can be filtered out of your sound recording, then what is left is the natural beauty of the environment.

Forest atmospheres

Forest, a place to come to rest and relax. Last Sunday, I went out to get some rest. The house renovation is in full swing and I needed a little time off. I was not even in the mood to go out and photograph anything. That is very unusual.

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However, I did take my sound gear with me and decided to go onto a trail that few people venture out on.

White waves

When recording sound, my guess is that recording water in all its forms is one of the most preferred recordings. Like moon shots are for photography. Perhaps not for a specific recordist or photographer, but in general.

Recording the waves

For me, that no different. Once I started listening closely to everything around me, I was amazed at how different water can sound in different places.

Coming soon

This site will allow for purchase of sounds and complete sound libraries in the future. Please stay tuned!