Isabella Miller The ocean produces a psychological and physical effect which sailors experience as its sound creates an irresistible attraction to the water. The brain and the body create this sensation of magnetic connection which people experience when they see large open spaces and experience the natural rhythm of the ocean.
The “High Place Phenomenon”
The “Call of the Void” allows people to experience the same feeling of wanting to leap from a cliff which some people experience. The brain makes a safety signal error which results in a short moment that lets people see the ocean as accessible space instead of hazardous territory.
The Blue Mind Effect
Scientist Wallace J. Nichols coined the term “Blue Mind” to describe the mildly meditative state we enter when near water. The ocean triggers the release of dopamine and oxytocin which causes sailors to experience a biological attraction toward their peaceful natural environment.
Biophilia and Ancestral Links
The Biophilia theory proposes that humans have a natural connection to the natural world and some psychologists believe that the “call” exists as a vestigial memory which traces back to our oceanic biological origins because life started in the ocean.
Infrasound and Vibrations
Infrasound refers to the low-frequency sounds that moving water bodies and ship engines produce. The vibrations create internal “hum” sensations which make people feel they hear sounds through their chest because these vibrations exist outside of human hearing ability.
The Rhythm of the Swell
A ship’s continuous rocking movement creates a pattern which resembles the heartbeat sound that people hear inside the womb. People develop a profound inner sense of peace when they experience this situation because they believe that water operates as an inviting friend.
Sensory Deprivation and Focus
In the middle of the ocean there is nothing but the horizon and brain activities concentrate entirely on water movement because visual clutter disappears which produces a trancelike state that makes it hard to separate an observer from the ocean.
The Sea Legs After-Effect
People who return to land continue to experience “Mal de Debarquement” which makes them feel that the ground underneath them is in motion. People develop a physical desire to move like a ship ferrying them to their actual water destination.
Negative Ion Absorption
Ocean waves produce negative ions as they break against the shore. The particles help elevate blood serotonin levels which creates a dual effect that improves a sailor’s emotional state while making the ocean act as a genuine source of energy and vitality.
The Horizon’s Biological Lure
People evolved to search for vast open spaces because these areas enabled them to discover both living things and potential dangers. People who stand on a ship to watch the sea which meets the sky reach a fundamental survival need which makes them feel the “call” brings them back to their original essential territory.
Acoustic Illusions
Waves make wind produce “White Noise” which creates a rushing sound. The brain attempts to find patterns in random data which causes people to hear voices or music or whispers that emerge from the sound of ocean waves.
