Beaver Island Michigan

Calling all acoustical engineers! Has anyone else heard the mysterious low humming sound that seems to come from the earth at the north end of the island? I first heard it last summer when I was tent camping at the Stables Campground. I'm hearing it again this summer. The sound is a steady, low frequency tone. It comes and goes repeatedly, anytime from after midnight until approx. 8 AM. The humming sound lasts for varying lengths of time from a few seconds to one minute. The periods of silence in between are similarly of uneven duration. It occurs throughout the summer months but not every single morning.
I've been told the humming sound might emanate from the engines of lake freighters on the big lake. I could imagine that being the case, with the sound first traveling through the water and then through solid bedrock on the island. But why then would the sound start and stop, start and stop the way it does? Another possibility: the big green electrical boxes all over the island (like the one near the big sign at Jewell Gillespie Park in town)? Any ideas or experience to share? Thank you,
David Hill

It is also possible that you might be getting the sounds of the generators running from the 4 Corners across Font Lake, depending on the wind direction and other times that the island has quiet times. If the wind is from the East, I don't hear them at all even though they're less than a mile away, but when the wind is from the South quarter or the West, I here them running on my back deck. The sounds are similar to what you described in your post, and they are usually not continuous unless you are much closer than I am.

Joe Moore

When the wind is right and it is otherwise quiet, you can sometimes hear the Charlevoix cement plant from down on the SE end of the island.

Joe is right; it's the generators at 4 corners. I was hearing them at our cottage on Kings hwy last weekend. At times it can sound like helicopters in the distance.

Thanks very much, Joe Moore, Fish Camp and pdevers, for your informative and helpful replies. I'll now be paying attention to the wind direction when I hear the humming and finally making sense of it. Much appreciation,
David

When I was on Whiskey Island, I know the last week in July hummingbirds by the thousands would hold their annual convention on the island. Usually, a 3-day convention but the humming was always very soothing.

Could be steamboats chugging by too!

We heard the generator quite loudly last week here on Carlisle Rd when the winds were southerly. I imagine the sound might be intermittent if you are on the north side of the island and would be capricious with the breeze.