Maritime Notes

Salty and fresh like spray on sun-warmed rock, with a hint of seaweed, shell and cool sea air.

• Some seabirds, such as petrels and prions, can smell dimethyl sulfide and use it to find feeding grounds over the open ocean.

A key component of the typical smell of the sea is dimethyl sulfide (C₂H₆S), which forms when compounds from marine algae and phytoplankton break down.