The many, soothing voices of the sea

AT NIGHT, the sea in La Gomera moaned and spoke with many voices. We could hear it from our house amongst the bananas, as we lay sweating on our sheets.

The concept of the sea speaking in many voices is taken from a poem by Tennyson; it is not my idea, I’m afraid. But I could hear the voices, as I lay their, deliquescing onto the mattress. The voices were a diversion. Sometimes, instead of moaning, they sang.

Round stones rolling down a beach in the wake of a wave can groan, or moan, or sing or chatter. Listening to them is a wonderful way to while away a sleepless night, or to induce sleep. They ring, now clear, now muted. Hear how they run...