Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/02/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 12:00 AM 2/8/98 -0800, you wrote: >LUGnuts: > >I have several hundred books on sailing and seamanship and many with >pictures of stormy seas and only one or two hurricane shots even come >close to showing the full power and size of these beasts in the open >ocean. > >Of course, I don't have enough sense to be scared and enjoyed every >minute of it. But the body is bruised and battered. > >donal Donal, We are happy that you are safe and warm now. I'm glad you brought up the subject of waves. There are many LUGnuts that have never spent much time around the ocean. Safety while photographing along the ocean is something most people don't think about. LUG people, I grew up in Santa Cruz and spent a good portion of my life in and on the ocean. On, on surf boards. In, body surfing and skin diving. One learns very young that the ocean is an unforgiving mistress. She can seduce you into complacency, and when you are not looking, she will take out her revenge on you. I've personally known two people who, within just the past ten years, were washed off the cliffs. One in Santa Cruz and one in Monterey. Both were never found. They were not natives of the coast. They were visitors. Over the years, there have been dozens. None, except the recent two, known personally by me however. For all you LUGpeople that photograph along the ocean, be aware that waves come in sets, gradually building to a large wave, then start again. At least this is how it works here on the US west coast. This, however, is not the full story. Swells are built by winds thousands of miles away. Various phenomena, other than just wind, way out there, sometimes produces a "rogue wave". You may be photographing along the coast, watching two to three foot swells and waves for hours. Then, out of know where, an eight or ten foot wave will appear. Always when you are not looking. If you are near the water, or your stuff is near the water, or on the cliffs at the edge, your stuff is history. You might be history as well. It is important to know whether the tide is coming in, or going out. When coming in, you really have to be careful. It eats-up space very quickly. If you go into a cove via the beach and the tide is coming in, you may be in real trouble. Leave your stuff well back from the water, just you and your tripod in harms way. You and your tripod can run. But you won't have time to gather-up a bunch of stuff. I'm lucky. My wife is my assistant and not only keeps my stuff in order (ready to run) but keeps watch over the ocean. We have run, many many times. We haven't lost anything yet as her watchful eye spots trouble well in advance. One eye on the camera, one eye on the ocean. Jim