Sensing Direction of Sounds

[archman]

If the polls are accurate, we have over a dozen superheroes in the bunch.

 

[WarrenZ]

Its not that I can tell instantly where the sound of the other divers breathing is coming from but I will listen for a bit and swim in the direction of my best guess aprox. 10 - 50 feet and then listen again. This allows me to "home in" on the sound of the other divers breathing.

As for the divers who can only hear their own reg bubbleing it is because they are breathing at a faster cycle than the time it takes their bubbles to disapate. If you slowdown your breathing rate you will start to notice the other sounds that are there.

 

[pakman]

Try diving in Asia with the sound of dynamite fishing going on miles away. that'll get your attention...

 

[Jason Ooi]

Physically impossible underwater...sound travel 4 times faster than air, but I used to spoke under water with rebreather unit.:14:

 

[Nemrod]

I can tell somewhat where a boat is and you can also here the change in pitch as it passes near and begins to move away, Doppler effect. Other types of underwater sounds, no, not really but the continuous sounds of propellers, increasing in volume and then the change in pitch does give clues as to locations--somewhat--I can certainly tell that they are getting more near or more distant if not exactly which direction they are to/from me. N

 

[dive_lover88]

it's strange but i can really tell where the sound is coming from...

 

[Wilson]

On land, sounds travels slower and reaches one ear before the other, so you get a sense of direction. Underwater, where sounds travels 4 times faster, that would be harder to duplicate unless something is directly on one side of you or the other, or a boat going directly overhead. The milisecond it takes for sound to reach one ear or the other underwater would make it impossible to correctly detect direction. If your brain can sort that out, then you are definitely gifted.

 

[Walter]

I'd love to test you guys with a blindfold. I'd bet you can't really tell the direction. You're picking up on other clues to determine direction, not just the sound.

cadiver67, try diving w/o the hood. You're not deaf underwater, you're deaf with the hood.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I can hear just fine with a hood ... especially when a ferry or tug is within a mile or so of where I'm diving. I can tell from variations in pitch and intensity whether the ferry is coming closer or getting further away, but I can't tell which direction the sound is coming from (it sounds like it's right on top of me).

The poll results are interesting ... everything I know about human physiology tells me that over half the people who have responded believe that they are doing something which is physically not possible ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Walter]

I can hear just fine with a hood

So can I, but apparently cadiver67 can't.