Singing Sands Beach - Atlas Obscura

Singing Sands Beach

Souris, Prince Edward Island

A walk along this white sand beach creates a symphony. 

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Prince Edward Island is known for its red sand beaches, but the white sand is known for its special tune. A walk along the beach in Basin Head Provincial Park will create a “singing” noise.

It’s unclear exactly what causes the beach to sing, but most believe it’s due to the mineral makeup of the sand, which features a higher content of both silica and quartz. The pressure from walking on it creates a squeaky noise that many consider musical. Another theory is that the spherical shape of the quartz rubbing together makes a subtle sound.

While there are other singing beaches in the world, this one stands out among the red sand beaches of Canada’s east coast. The white sands spread across two separate beaches split by a channel. A view of tall red cliffs and lush green fields can be seen from the beach, and in the summer, the water is warm enough to swim.

Along Points East Coastal Drive, right beside the beach is also the Basin Head Fisheries Museum. Locals often claim Basin Head to be the Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna capital of the world. The beach’s lagoon is also the only place on Earth where a variety of giant aquatic Irish moss, Chondrus crispus, grows, which locals make into seaweed pie

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March 11, 2024

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