After the storm

After storm Ciarán finally abated leaving a trail of devastation in its wake last Thursday, I left a photographic trip to the seaside town of Teignmouth until Saturday, even then high winds and spring tides would make for possibly one of my most dramatic outings in some time.

The extent of the damage was considerable along the sea front, the pier battered and damaged, inner walled areas of the promenade pulverised by the sheer power of the waves intrusion onto land.

The tide was just on the ebb as I arrived in Teignmouth, but waves were still crashing into the sea wall and over into parking spaces closest to the sea, yet even then I was unprepared for the sheer volume of the roar and crash as the tail end of the storm did its worst.

For a few minutes I was glued to the spot as wave after wave thundered their way from sea to land, some incoming waves smothered by the outgoing ones, others combining forces for another assault onto the man made structures.

As I began my walk towards the ‘back beach’ I watched the waves crashing against the breakwater, where just a few shots in, I captured an explosion of sea water as it hit the wall, this was perhaps my shot of the day.

I have made this my desktop image on my PC monitor, I can still hear the thundering crash it made as it exploded with all its might, as did so many of the waves I was able to catch on this eventful day.

Careful to observe from distance, I spent the morning just watching where the biggest waves landed, positioning myself a good distance away from where they didn’t as I snapped frame after frame of the moody maelstrom as it unfolded before my eyes.

This is a trip that will stay in my memory for some time, reinforcing how beautiful and yet so destructive nature can be.

Watching the waves

With Christmas day now over, we approach that feeling of limbo leading up to the new year, where our ability to remember what day of the week it is, gets somewhat blunted by the pleasures of over indulgence and that thought of not being back at work for a few more days.

With the weather not being that favourable for any long walks out with the camera, I was keen to walk off some of those festive excesses, as I make my way back home after a few treasured days spent with family.

The constant rain of Christmas and boxing day have abated for a few hours, however the blustery winds remain, perfect for some seaside photography and watching the awesome power of the waves as they batter the sea defences at Hope Cove.

The sky above is a dark battleship grey, full of rain filled intent, the roar of the sea as it pummels the sea wall, is as loud as I have ever heard, it’s time to capture some images.

The wind is far too strong for any tripod work, it is all I can do to keep the camera still on occasions, as the gale force winds are that strong.
Crouched low, with my shoulder against a firmly closed kiosk, I adopt a contorted position that allows me to keep steady as I shoot the scene in front of me.

There are screams of cold sea spray surprise from those people who thought they were at a far enough distance from the huge waves that breach the height of the sea wall, the waves reach, increased by the wind.

With my camera in burst mode, it is a case of take the shot, then wipe the lens as the rain and spray look to soak all in its way, each wave just seems to get bigger with every gust.

It is rare that I root myself to one spot on a photography outing but such are the power and beauty of the conditions I have no reason to explore further, hopefully the images below will support that thought.