Upokohue: A Subaquatic Symphony For Whakaraupō invites participants to literally submerge themselves underwater to hear sounds from a world they can otherwise only imagine – from snails purring, dolphins communicating and seaweed photosynthesising, to boats whirring and piles being driven into the seabed.
Know Your Place aims to raise environmental awareness and give locals an opportunity to learn more about their home.
“All the sounds have been recorded underwater because it’s a really fascinating realm we don’t listen to,” Burzynska said.
“I’ve been doing a lot of listening through my hydrophone underwater and have been finding some fascinating soundscapes there.”
She has noticed certain areas will be quiet during the day, but come alive once the sun sets.
“At dusk things really start getting loud and it’s just a complete cacophony of different vocalisations; cracking, popping, fizzing, cheeping.”
Burzynska has also observed how loud human activities can be.
“Very often I hear the sound of a boat underwater but I can’t see one for miles,” she said.
“Then it’s like, oh, it’s way over there. So the impact of human noise has been a real ear-opener.”
That’s where something called a ‘bubble curtain’ comes in, which is being trialled in Lyttelton Harbour and features in the fourth movement of Burzynska’s symphony.
“Bubble curtains were invented to help dampen the noise that’s coming out from piling (driving steel beams into the seabed),” said Dr Crystal Lenky, Lyttelton Port Company head of environmental and sustainability.
“They were started mainly for offshore wind projects, and we’ve been looking at their effectiveness for use here during future piling projects.
“Hopefully swimmers at the event can hear the difference between sound in front of, versus behind the bubbles.”
- For more information on Know Your Place and to book tickets for Upokohue visit knowyourplace.nz
