Essex to... Amsterdam! (2015)

This was recorded under the Leigh Sailing Club jetty and slipway. The picture shows the view looking west. The pedestrians are on the Cinder Path, and the C2C railway line is the other side of the fence.

The recording is in two parts: first of all the normal sound of the waves. With the tide that high they end up on the sea wall, which is hard with no give, so sounds different to the beach. The hum is the outboard motor of some kind of charter boat, coming back from a fishing trip. You should be able to hear gulls, they were just sitting on the water, and a train comes out of Chalkwell station.

The other picture is of the cruise ship Magellan, operated by the Essex based CMV (Cruise Maritime Voyages). They sail out of ports all around the UK, but mainly from Tilbury, Floating Passenger Landing Stage. It’s on its way to Amsterdam 190 nautical miles distant, probably just under 12 hours sailing time. Before that the Marco Polo, another of their fleet, had passed on the way to Newcastle upon Tyne, up the North Sea coast, passing 5 other counties (can you name them without looking?) before arriving in Northumberland. The chimney in the background is Kingnorth, on The Medway in Kent and, like The Isle of Grain chimney, is due to be demolished this year.

The second part of the recording is the sound under the jetty as the wash from the Magellan comes ashore, louder and a regular, surging rhythm. You can’t always tell how strong the wash will be from the size or type of vessel, but this is more powerful than most I reckon.