I am feeling lovely and mellow today after the Soul 2 Soul track so I thought you might like to listen to this while having a read about feeling St Elmos Fire, and seeing Arora Borealis.
I don’t know what genre this comes under but I think it’s a wonderful track by Saint Germain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHvwIwlrGHk
St Elmos Fire is a strange one and I have experienced it a few times.
It creates an eerie sensation, the sort to get the hairs on the back of your hands standing on end, but that’s as much to do with the electricity as anything else.
I had been told what to expect if atmospheric conditions were right, but it was still an awesome sight for the first time to see what appeared to be blue flames coming off the sharp fittings on the bridge wing (as well as the mast being aglow on the monkey island).
With the wild recklessness of an immortal teenager I wondered if I could get it to come off the ends of my fingers, so I venture out opntpo the bridge wing and I am stood with my arms outstretched towards the sky trying to get some flaming finger action.
The best I could managed was a blue glow around each finger end which, although unusual in its own right, was a tad disappointing.
Upping the ante a little, I took my deck knife out and held that up and suddenly I was in the blue flame business with a pronounced flame coming off the end of my knife. I also had a smaller flame coming from the collar zip of my thermal oilskin.
Once I was out there and “live” so to speak, with blue flames sprouting out of something I was wearing and holding, and probably saying something like “Far out man” the Second Mate, from the safety of the bridge, suggested that standing out in an electrically charged atmosphere (St Elmos often occurs around thunder and lightening storms) whilst holding my arms aloft, with what was in effect ‘a lightening conductor’ held in my hand, had all the hallmarks of an elaborate suicide attempt or was a sure sign that he was sharing a watch with a f**kwit.
Listening to his words I realised he was making a very valid point and quickly became less brave (foolhardy or f**kwitted) and ventured back into the ‘Faraday caged@ safety of the bridge.
The second mate proceeded to fall across the chart table, clutching his chest with one hand and pointing at me with the other, whilst gasping for breath in between raucous, bellowing, guffaws of laughter.
A quick inspection of my reflection in the window had me joining in with him, because my hair and beard (both quite long in those days) was set up on end all around me like some bizarre hirsute halo up to 18 inches out from my head.
There have a been a few St Elmo instances since then but I tend to stay in the bridge now and watch from a safe distance.
The first time I saw the Aurora Borealis was on a passage fromRiga Latvia Archangel on the northern coast of Russia
http://www.picturesofcities.info/map-city/Archangel/2343751/
It was one of those open mouthed, staring and pointing moments, as great swathes of the starlight night sky shimmered and undulated like gossamer curtains in all shades of red purple and green.
This might sound strange but, as beautiful and awe inspiring as it was, there was a sense of something missing.
I realise that it was synthesiser music that I expected to hear and the whole thing was silent and just looked like it shouldn’t be.
It looked like a light show that should accompany a Jean Michelle Jarre or Tangerine Dream live show and it was the lack music that I noticed first.
This shows it up pretty well and although time lapse photography and a bit one coloured it still gives a good idea of the scale of it. (and there is no music)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcfWsj9OnsI
Tales of whales tomorrow
Love and Peace
Bentley
I don’t know what genre this comes under but I think it’s a wonderful track by Saint Germain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHvwIwlrGHk
St Elmos Fire is a strange one and I have experienced it a few times.
It creates an eerie sensation, the sort to get the hairs on the back of your hands standing on end, but that’s as much to do with the electricity as anything else.
I had been told what to expect if atmospheric conditions were right, but it was still an awesome sight for the first time to see what appeared to be blue flames coming off the sharp fittings on the bridge wing (as well as the mast being aglow on the monkey island).
With the wild recklessness of an immortal teenager I wondered if I could get it to come off the ends of my fingers, so I venture out opntpo the bridge wing and I am stood with my arms outstretched towards the sky trying to get some flaming finger action.
The best I could managed was a blue glow around each finger end which, although unusual in its own right, was a tad disappointing.
Upping the ante a little, I took my deck knife out and held that up and suddenly I was in the blue flame business with a pronounced flame coming off the end of my knife. I also had a smaller flame coming from the collar zip of my thermal oilskin.
Once I was out there and “live” so to speak, with blue flames sprouting out of something I was wearing and holding, and probably saying something like “Far out man” the Second Mate, from the safety of the bridge, suggested that standing out in an electrically charged atmosphere (St Elmos often occurs around thunder and lightening storms) whilst holding my arms aloft, with what was in effect ‘a lightening conductor’ held in my hand, had all the hallmarks of an elaborate suicide attempt or was a sure sign that he was sharing a watch with a f**kwit.
Listening to his words I realised he was making a very valid point and quickly became less brave (foolhardy or f**kwitted) and ventured back into the ‘Faraday caged@ safety of the bridge.
The second mate proceeded to fall across the chart table, clutching his chest with one hand and pointing at me with the other, whilst gasping for breath in between raucous, bellowing, guffaws of laughter.
A quick inspection of my reflection in the window had me joining in with him, because my hair and beard (both quite long in those days) was set up on end all around me like some bizarre hirsute halo up to 18 inches out from my head.
There have a been a few St Elmo instances since then but I tend to stay in the bridge now and watch from a safe distance.
The first time I saw the Aurora Borealis was on a passage from
http://www.picturesofcities.info/map-city/Archangel/2343751/
It was one of those open mouthed, staring and pointing moments, as great swathes of the starlight night sky shimmered and undulated like gossamer curtains in all shades of red purple and green.
This might sound strange but, as beautiful and awe inspiring as it was, there was a sense of something missing.
I realise that it was synthesiser music that I expected to hear and the whole thing was silent and just looked like it shouldn’t be.
It looked like a light show that should accompany a Jean Michelle Jarre or Tangerine Dream live show and it was the lack music that I noticed first.
This shows it up pretty well and although time lapse photography and a bit one coloured it still gives a good idea of the scale of it. (and there is no music)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcfWsj9OnsI
Tales of whales tomorrow
Love and Peace
Bentley
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