Today we had another high Spring Tide and with strong winds it was predicted that the sea defences would be put to the test again. Fortunately the winds were blowing from the shore out to sea unlike last time when they were the opposite way around.
It still made for some dramatic seas though and I thought you would like this one. I wasn’t that close as it seems in photographic. That would have been really stupid. So I stood off with my 500mm lens and zoomed in to get this close-up.
Say It With A Camera 
Scary image. Yep, got a few images too. Nowhere near as bad as forecasted thanks for the SW winds.
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We were lucky Richard, compared to before Christmas…. http://about.me/mikehardisty
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The detail in this picture is amazing! Nice!
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Very Dramatic Mike. Well done.
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Thanks. A big lens allowed me to get close to the action without putting myself in harms way http://about.me/mikehardisty
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Nice capture! I love the repeating arcs of water frozen in the pic – like you captured this wave’s energy mid stream.
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Thank you for taking the time to comment. The waves yesterday were really strange in the way they were hitting the sea wall and travelling along it. Made for some strange shapes….. http://about.me/mikehardisty
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Wooo, what a spectacular wave! Superb shot Mike, you caught it so well!
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Thanks Patti, must admit I’m rather proud of it, it’s now my desktop background http://about.me/mikehardisty
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Wouw! Scary but a great shot!
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Thank you, but not too scary, I was standing well back and using a 500mm lens to get me close to the action http://about.me/mikehardisty
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Superb shot. I’ve never seen a wave captured in this unique way before. I really like this one. A 500mm was a very good choice so that you could be safe.
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Hi Yvonne. The sea wall is curved at the top, the idea being to break up the waves as they hit the wall. Normally the prevailing wind is from the North wich means the waves hit at about an 80 degree angle to the sea wall and just cause big plumes of spray.
Yesterday the angle was more acute, almost parallel to the wall and because of the curved shape at the top a wave would hit and travel along the wall for about 40 – 50 yards giving those amazing shapes.
Taking the big lens was a last minute decision. Originally I put just the wide angle and a small zoom lens in my camera bag bu then changed my mind. I’m glad I did. The first couple of photographs it took with the small zoom I realised to get anything good I would have to be a lot closer to the action, shall we say, but I was also weighing up the dangers of doing so.
About the third of fourth picture with the small zoom I realised that the grassy mound I was standing on was vibrating each time a big wave hit the wall. That convinced me to back off and get the big lens out.
Mike http://about.me/mikehardisty
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Great picture, it shows the full force of nature.
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Certainly does Mark, as some of those waves hit the sea wall I could feel the shock wave on the grass bank I was standing on.
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This is an AMAZING shot. The entire story of the storm is captured. From the spiral shape, the dirt churning and the rails being sucked in – this shot tells the entire story. :In Awe:
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