What in the world was this noise??????

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Were out anchored in edge of a little channel last night, in great bay, about 1 mile or so from the little egg inlet. As the night wore on (fishing was quiet for a while) we noticed a fairly rapid ticking noise coming from the hull of the boat. It was a pretty fast tap, about 8-12 times per second, and just a little "tick" noise, which I originally thought was my fishfinder transducer since it sounded exactly what a transducer sounds like when it's fired in a bucket or out of the water.

So I shut down the fishfinder and the noise persisted.

So I shut down the GPS / Radar / Fan / everything in the wheelhouse, and it persisted.

So I started poking around the boat and it sounded like it was coming from under the floor. I opened the rear bilge hatch to check the bilge pump it that wasn't it.

Next I shut down all power to the boat with the battery switch, and the noise persisted.

Opened the other 2 hatches on the deck and it sounded like the noise was coming from under the floor.

My rear bilge hatch is about 12 X 16 or so, so I stuck my head way down in it. The noise was much more pronounced with my head in there. Definitely sounded like it could have been coming from the water.

We eventually gave up trying to find the source of the noise. Told my friend that someone was pinging us from a sub somewhere.

The noise persisted for about 2.5 hours until we left with it still present. Towerd the end of the night it seemed like you could hear two distinct sets of 'tapping', with them having a regular pattern of softer-louder-softer with about a 10 second cycle.

So................................

What the hell was that?

Really sounded exactly like a transducer sounds, just a bit louder. Definitely persisted for at least 2.5 hours. Had a definite repeating pattern to it.

SBN, your little buddys fly up to NJ?

Seriously, after about 2 hours of hearing this noise, all three of us on the boat were at a complete loss as to what the heck it was. We all just agreed we did not know, and we all agreed it seemed to be coming from the water.

There was no alcohol used for this experiment, by the way.......

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Important note, upon return to the dock the noise was completely gone, adding to the belief that the noise was from outside the boat, where we were anchored.

 

[gstanton]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Maybe you need better beer?

It's supposed to be a buzz.

 

[Nandy]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Could it be your prop turning due to some water current? My old 9.9 would do that noise. next time raise your motor or try to check if the prop is moving.

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Could it be a (gulp!) mouse chewing on something in your hard earned toy?
Quiet back at the dock to noise and motion of the ride back?
We get em in the attic and thats what they sound like.
Good luck and I hope I am way off base.

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Ya Dang Fool, that was Jimmy Hoffa, ya missed out on the find of the century.
Give that Geraldo fella a call, he 'll know what to do.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

You probably had a school of baitfish flicking on the surface around ya.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Having visited Joisy many times and seeing all those mysterious 55 gallon drums dumped way back in the pine barrons. (How the hell did they get them back there) I would venture to guess that you might have been in an area that Was used a waste dump. Probably just a little underwater nuclear activity. Nothing to worry about.

 

[bootle]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Sounds like a glowing in the dark adventure.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

I had the same noise on my 12 foot Sea King while out in the Intracoastal behind Ocean Isle Beach. Couldn't figure out what it was. Seemed to be coming from under an 8 inch wide gusset at the transom. Thought maybe the glob of sealant the previous owner had glopped under it (had the boat for 2 days before we left) was absorbing something, or was cracking. Only really happened when there was seawater in the bilge.

 

[aspeck]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Yep, seeing as this was in Jersey water, gotta believe it was one or more of the many "dumped" bodies trying to get out! Dawn of the Dead on water!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Yep, seeing as this was in Jersey water, gotta believe it was one or more of the many "dumped" bodies trying to get out! Dawn of the Dead on water!

Jersey Water Try Jersey unknown substance! Those are not "dumped" bodies...... they were just some of the boys who could not keep their mouths shut and went swimming with the fishes!!

 

[i386]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Disconnect the battery to be 100% sure power is cut. Could be something leaking or even arcing (scary). Would be interesting to know if you can reproduce this.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Probably shrimp in the water. They make interesting noises with their claws. Lots of noises in the water itself, and boats transmit them pretty well, it seems.

Lots of fish make noises in the water, too. We're just usually making a lot more noise, so we never hear it.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

Go here, and listen to some of the sound samples. Could also be a croaker fish or something else:

http://www.dosits.org/gallery/intro.htm

 

[bjcsc]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

It was shellfish opening and closing. When we anchor close to the beds around here (oyster), it sounds like you're anchored in a glass of alka-seltzer. When you get in the water and submerge your ears it's hard to hear anything else.

I thought your story was funny because I did the same thing you did. Checked the sonar, shut off the battery, put my ear on every other surface I could find, etc..

 

[degsey]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

do u have any oneway check valves ? when iam at anchor sometime u can hear them clicking.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: What in the world was this noise??????

I thought your story was funny because I did the same thing you did. Checked the sonar, shut off the battery, put my ear on every other surface I could find, etc..

It was real confusing for me, as I was in a little 12 foot boat, which had a rope start outboard, so there was no battery, sonar, or any sort of wiring. The noise was definitely coming from the bilge, not the motor or fuel tank.

So shrimp huh. That would explain why we only heard it around some of the more popular redfish spots (which are presumably popular to the fish, because of the abundance of shrimp).