What is the regular distant booming noise I hear from the southern tip of the Isle of Wight?
I work on the very southern point of the Isle of Wight and very often (at least a couple of times a week, often more)there is a regular distant booming like huge guns or explosions, going on for up to an hour. They are very deep and you feel them more than hear them. Some people don’t seem to hear them at all but they frighten the birds, they squawk and fly away. I am hearing them now at about 30 second to 1 minute intervals. I have been hearing it for at least eight or nine years. I haven’t heard it on other parts of the coast of the Island and my friends who live in Freshwater Bay never hear it which must be something to do with the angle. I assume it is a military base somewhere, Bournemouth way maybe? Whatever it is, it freaks me out. I have never liked it. Does anyone know what it is?
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Answers
As Robin says, it could be jets breaking the sound barrier, but more likely to be the Navy doing test firing off the south coast of the Island. If you look at Marine maps you’ll see areas marked specifically for military test firing.