UC Berkeley’s women’s crew has won two NCAA championships in the last five years. They start practice on the placid Briones Reservoir at 6 am. There's the sound of the coach in a nearby motorboat, the coxswain at the stern, and the boat cutting through the water as the oars slice into its surface.
The rowers don’t say a word as they go about their work. Back and forth they slide on their rowing-seats, straining with each stroke. You can hear all the sounds around them, settle into a steady rhythm as they pull their oars in perfect unison.
For the full surround sound effect, you should throw on a pair of headphones before you listen!
This story comes to us from Chris Hoff and Sam Harnett of The World According to Sound podcast. They’re partnering with the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco to help us reimagine California in the rich way blind people experience it every day. The project has additional support from California Humanities.