Holy Isle Mystery Noise

[JumbleDuck]

We spent the night before last anchored near the jetty on Holy Isle, having arrived too late to get a visitor mooring in Lamlash. As we relaxed we heard an insistent and curious noise: a continuous high pitched whine with a regular click every few seconds. We checked every electronic device on the boat and found nothing, so my conclusions is that either (a) the jetty has an ultrasonic antifouling system or (b) the island owners are deliberately making odd underwater noises to deter visitors.

In the latter case it didn't work. We just ignored it . I'd be interested to know if anyone else has heard the same thing.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Astral chanting or dolphin speak. You never know with that place! Are you sure it wasn't the crustacean clicking noise that is sometimes heard?

 

[NormanS]

Are there any salmon cages nearby? They use noise like that to scare seals.

 

[dunedin]

Are there any salmon cages nearby? They use noise like that to scare seals.

Yes, definitely sounds like fish farm noise.
The worst we ever experienced were at the visitor moorings at the Corran Narrows, which pretty much prevented any sleep, but I noticed they are a bit quieter this year.

 

[mainsail1]

So sad that these fish farms seem to get further and further away from nature and closer and closer to industrial sites.

 

[Rigger]

I had exactly the same experience in the same spot about 3 weeks ago. Was convinced it was coming from something on board. Switched off electrics to no avail and searched all bags for left on electrical devices. Drove me potty. Eventually thougt it was coming from the fish farm, but then found a punctured aerosol can in the bottom of a locker which I blamed. Obviously was right with the fish farm!

 

[dgadee]

We spent the night before last anchored near the jetty on Holy Isle, having arrived too late to get a visitor mooring in Lamlash. As we relaxed we heard an insistent and curious noise: a continuous high pitched whine with a regular click every few seconds. We checked every electronic device on the boat and found nothing, so my conclusions is that either (a) the jetty has an ultrasonic antifouling system or (b) the island owners are deliberately making odd underwater noises to deter visitors.

In the latter case it didn't work. We just ignored it . I'd be interested to know if anyone else has heard the same thing.

Were you flying a kind of Oriental wind sock? I was off Whiting Bay on Saturday night and heard nothing. Sounds like submarines!

 

[Spyro]

There was definitely a sub around yesterday

 

[johnalison]

The commonest cause of unexplained noise on my boat has been an overtight topping-lift, with the mainsheet yanked down hard to park the boom at night. The humming seems to penetrated the whole boat, but it wouldn't explain the clicking.

 

[LittleSister]

Were you flying a kind of Oriental wind sock?

Surely there's no Chinese take-away on Holy Island, therefore there'd be no need for JumbleDuck to warn other boats to keep clear?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Astral chanting or dolphin speak. You never know with that place! Are you sure it wasn't the crustacean clicking noise that is sometimes heard?

I wondered about that, but it went on all night (I assume - it was there when I went to sleep and when I woke up), which would have been a very determined crustacean. Or porpoise, or whatever.

Are there any salmon cages nearby? They use noise like that to scare seals.

The nearest ones, as far as I can see, are on the Arran shore at the south end of Lamlash Bay. We spent last night on one of the visitor moorings and heard nothing, though the distance must be about the same.

I had exactly the same experience in the same spot about 3 weeks ago. Was convinced it was coming from something on board. Switched off electrics to no avail and searched all bags for left on electrical devices. Drove me potty. Eventually thougt it was coming from the fish farm, but then found a punctured aerosol can in the bottom of a locker which I blamed. Obviously was right with the fish farm!

Ah-ha. Your experience and actions sound exactly like mine. I now reckon it's that floating pier thing.

Were you flying a kind of Oriental wind sock? I was off Whiting Bay on Saturday night and heard nothing. Sounds like submarines!

We do indeed have a clown fish at the starboard crosstree. I'm sorry to have missed you. We headed north this morning aiming to ride out tomorrow's horribleness in Portavadie, but a wind shift (Inshore waters: W - SW, F2 or 3. Reality: N, F5) and the need for some electrical parts for the engine diverted us to lunch at Glencallum Bay and onto Largs.

 

[mjcoon]

If you can hear an ultrasonic sound you must be a bat (or maybe just batty)!

Mike.

 

[dgadee]

I wondered about that, but it went on all night (I assume - it was there when I went to sleep and when I woke up), which would have been a very determined crustacean. Or porpoise, or whatever.



The nearest ones, as far as I can see, are on the Arran shore at the south end of Lamlash Bay. We spent last night on one of the visitor moorings and heard nothing, though the distance must be about the same.



Ah-ha. Your experience and actions sound exactly like mine. I now reckon it's that floating pier thing.



We do indeed have a clown fish at the starboard crosstree. I'm sorry to have missed you. We headed north this morning aiming to ride out tomorrow's horribleness in Portavadie, but a wind shift (Inshore waters: W - SW, F2 or 3. Reality: N, F5) and the need for some electrical parts for the engine diverted us to lunch at Glencallum Bay and onto Largs.

Rothesay called us out of the rain. Very squally at top of Kyles. Crew thinks

 

[dgadee]

... I am incompetent for not predicting F1 to F5 in 20 seconds. Getting a lot of lip on this trip.

 

[awol]

ADDs (Accoustic Deterrent Devices) are being used more and more by fish farms since seals were added to the protected species list in June. There is supposed to be an inquiry into ADDs and their effects on dolphins and other cetaceans. Perhaps you could add to the inquiry with complaints that sailors are being deprived of sleep by such devices - an obvious H&S problem.

 

[JumbleDuck]

... I am incompetent for not predicting F1 to F5 in 20 seconds. Getting a lot of lip on this trip.

We had a similar experience. At the time I was shoulders deep in the engine compartment, prodding around with a multimeter. I noticed a slight strain in the crew's voice, thought "We weren't heeling over like that before" and abandoned engineering. Blowing a hoolie in Largs now. The plethora of masts makes it sound extra dramatic, of course, but we're heeling nicely in the gusts ... which XCWeather says will be F8 this afternoon. Scotts booked for dinner.

 

[dgadee]

We had a similar experience. At the time I was shoulders deep in the engine compartment, prodding around with a multimeter. I noticed a slight strain in the crew's voice, thought "We weren't heeling over like that before" and abandoned engineering. Blowing a hoolie in Largs now. The plethora of masts makes it sound extra dramatic, of course, but we're heeling nicely in the gusts ... which XCWeather says will be F8 this afternoon. Scotts booked for dinner.

The crew did a Competent Crew course and is now an exampler of the statement, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I have started to call her skipper when she really gets going with the "you should".