Theseaasconductor

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The sound of the waves is a backdrop to the web of car horns, bicycle bells, urban noises, and street vendors' catchphrases: “Ó o mate! Ó o limão! Limonada, mate!”, “É peteleco no dente, soco na mente!”. The sound experience of a day at the beach, in Rio, can be surprising. That's because the typical sounds of a seaside resort — children's squeals, the echo of water hitting the sand — mix with traces of local culture that stand out over the hubbub — the blend of samba and funk blasting from sound systems, slang and whistles, the noise of sports competitions on the sand.

Image description: This is a photograph of a coastal landscape. On the left side, we see a series of mountains covered in green vegetation. In the center, there is a city with many buildings of different heights, mostly residential buildings. On the right, there is a beach with light-colored sand and a large rocky outcrop in the distance. The sea is blue and calm, occupying most of the image. On the horizon, we see other rocky outcrops and more mountains.

Sound of the sea waves

There are actually many of these, by the way. “Altinha,” for example, is a game that emerged on Rio’s sands and became a craze throughout the country. It’s only allowed at the water’s edge before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. That’s why dusk on Rio’s beaches tends to be marked by the sharp, repetitive thwack of the ball bouncing off shins, chests, and heads. Frescobol, another sport typical of this stretch of shoreline, was invented on the sands of Copacabana more than 70 years ago, but it soon spread the crack of the ball striking wooden rackets to other beaches as well.

Image description: This is a photograph of a beach with a clear blue sky and a few clouds. On the left side, we see large, sandy rocks. In the center, the sea is turquoise blue, with waves breaking on the beach. In the distance, there are tall buildings and a mountain range. On the right, a large rock is in the foreground.

The sounds that take over the coastline of Rio's capital, however, can also be spectacular. Rio's beaches are often the stage for shows ranging from classical music to rock. Take the legendary concert the Rolling Stones performed on Copacabana beach in 2006. At the same time, there are Rio beaches where usually only silence accompanies the sounds of nature. That's the case of Secreto beach, in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes area, accessible only by a trail, which tends to be deserted on weekdays.

Image description: This is a photograph of a beach with a boy on a small sand hill. On the left side, we see the light blue ocean with gentle waves breaking on the beach. In the center, there is a rocky mountain with an irregular shape, covered in green vegetation. On the right, a modern building is partially visible behind the hill. The sky is blue with some scattered clouds. The boy is standing on the sand, with his arms stretched out behind him and his legs apart, appearing to be balancing himself or playing.

We also cannot forget a sound that has become increasingly typical on the sands: applause. It has already become an everyday ritual, but one that still moves some tourists. Thousands of beachgoers clap for the spectacle that is the sunset seen from the beach, composing a moment in which the sound, produced by so many bodies, expresses the force of a singular rapture.

Image description: This is a photograph of a beach at sunset. On the left, we see the vast ocean with gentle waves breaking on the sand. In the center, the shoreline stretches to the horizon, where the sky gradates from light blue to yellow and orange. On the right, there is a coastal city with tall buildings and low-rise structures. In the background, mountains covered in dark green vegetation rise against the sky.