A dark landscape

 

In an attempt to get further connected to the landscape, I try to explore the landscape in the  dark. When darkness comes people tend to retreat indoors, but I am trying to embrace and find out what senses I use in darkness. This is the darkness that Jaime (2005) refers to as the ‘natural courteous dark’ pg.10 and not the dark that ‘we are so concerned to overcome and banish it, its crammed full of all thats devilish, like some grim cupboard under the stair. But dark is good’ p 3. However here on Lundy it feels good and also safe to explore the darkness.

In the book ‘Wintering’ May (2020) claims that ‘there is not enough night left for us’ we have lost our true instincts for darkness’  May states that  ‘our ancestors experienced a different state of being to any we know, or any we can know unless we refuse the intrusion of natural light’ pg.98 It is this darkness. On Lundy we know darkness as we are plunged into it when the generators go off at 12.30pm each night.

I have been out often in the dark, sometimes I chose to head to the beach. When darkness comes, Lundy’s Millcombe Valley goes quiet, the birds that busy themselves singing in the daytime are now asleep. However as true darkness descends a strange noise is emitted all around the South West side of the Island. These are the Manx Shearwaters (Puffinus Puffinus)which burrow on the cliffs. A bird which you only see on land at night. The colonies are full of a sound that can only be described as a moaning/ wheezing sound and can be likened to that of a crying child.

Taking only a head torch you navigate paths that would normally be easy in the daytime, but in the darkness, putting one foot in front of the other requires concentration. Perching on a cliff, where normally you would look at the view to the mainland, you start to use other senses, as the reliant sense of sight is much less useful. You can feel the strength and direction of the wind on your body. Then feeling the ground with your feet as you thread your way across the goat paths. The touch of the uneven ground beneath your feet, makes you more attentive to what lies underfoot. 

Seeing bird ringers handling birds, untangling them from the nets and measuring and identifying them is a special experience. As Thompson (2022) describes “I was in awe of the respect and attentive commitment he gave to each bird” Being able to touch the bird and feel is soft tiny head was something that others, not there in the night, would not experience

Sitting on the beach in the dark, sound becomes a more reliant sense than sight. You hear the waves breaking on the beach or lapping against the jetty. You can hear the eerie shrieks of the Manx Shearwaters calling using sound as navigation for their life long mates to return to the burrow. You can hear the Atlantic Grey Seals singing, hauled out on rocks, maybe looking for a mate or just protecting their territory. If you are lucky and the bird wardens are ringing you may see a Storm Petrel, a tiny bird just slightly bigger than a sparrow, but with webbed feet. A bird to whom darkness is no stranger. The birds were lured towards the ringing nets with recordings of storm petrels calling — this strange sound echoed around the bay. I wondered what the sailors on the yachts in the bay would think of the sound. It brought to mind an observation in Jaime (2912) who jokes as to whether the birds would still come if they “played a song by Abba”.

The starry night on Lundy can be stunning, Lundy Island is a Dark Sky Discovery site and is a well known location for exploring the stars, galaxies and the Milky Way on a clear night. Looking out from the village you can see the orange glow over the mainland and the lights showing occupation of villages.

As an all year round sea swimmer, swimming in the dark with the bioluminescence feels quite magical. However, not using sight and not being able to see the usual marine suspects; jellyfish, seals and seaweed feels like a leap of faith. However, making your way through calm water in the darkness feels serene and connected to the moment. 

There is a lot that happens in the dark on Lundy and it can be missed if you don’t step out into the night. 

References 

Jamie, K., (2005). Findings. Sort of Books

Jamie, K., (2012). Sightlines . Sort of Books

May, K., (2020). Wintering: The power of rest and retreat in difficult times. Random House.

Thompson, A., (2022). Belonging. Natural histories of place,identity and home. Palimpsest.