Shag rock sea dramatics, near Perranporth, March 2017
<b>Thundering breakers for a little while, then writhing sea with quieter deep rumbles, booms and occasional blowhole whoomphs (from the triple-vented blowhole system on the tip of the headland). This recording was made on the upper inspection cover on the narrow and rather precarious-feeling track obliquely descending the very steep cliff slope below the coast path — that unofficial track following the line of a sewage pipe. A thrilling and invigorating soundscape.</b>
This was one of two concurrent recordings I made towards the end of a hike on 15 March 2017. The other recording was from the bottom inspection cover, which is just visible (though not readily identified at this small scale) in the lower photo. Although the lower recording had its plus points, this upper one won out in capturing the best possible balance between left, right, upper and lower sound events.
<b>Advisory</b>
High-grade headphones are strongly recommended in order to get the best out of this complex soundscape and reproduce the very low frequencies reasonably correctly. I do NOT recommend turning the volume up beyond a level that would get a realistic sound level for symphonic orchestral music. But by the same token, if you normally listen to music at less than that level, then you'd need to turn the volume up accordingly to achieve that level.
<img alt="Earlier recording from this position" src="https://www.broad-horizon-nature.co.uk/170315-150307_recording_by_shag_rock_headland,_with_approaching_wave.jpg">
<i>An earlier recording being made from this exact spot (using a PCM-M10 recorder), with Shag Rock headland (and its blowhole whoomphs on the right in its own panorama).</i>
<img alt="Looking north to position of recorder" src="https://www.broad-horizon-nature.co.uk/170315-140308_recording_sea_sounds_by_shag_rock_headland,_perranporth_02.jpg">
<i>Looking the other way from that same spot, during a still earlier recording, with gentler sea.</i>
<b>Techie stuff:</b>
The recorder was a Sony PCM-D100, with two nested custom Windcut furry windshields, full-size Zipshot tripod.
Post-recording processing was to apply EQ in Audacity to correct for the muffling effect of the windshields and correction for the D100's weakness in very low bass.
<b>Please remember to give this recording a rating — Thank you! <img alt="" src="https://www.broad-horizon-nature.co.uk/me-icon_wink.gif"></b>
