When Waves Go Boom

[AlanLichty]

The shoreline near Cape Perpetua consists of a basalt shelf that has been battered into some interesting shapes by the relentless waves. During the stormy winter months the swells are much larger resulting in waves that funnel up the fingers of basalt and crash into the pockets with a loud booming sound and of course a nice big spray as the water gets launched into the air. I have spent far too many hours wandering around that place in the winter looking for interesting comps and shooting displays of the spray from crashing waves and this is one of those captures.

C&C always welcome.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Ka boom!! I love it I can just here one of my favorite sounds

 

[JimFox]

This is really great Alan. Yeah, they really do make a loud boom sound, almost sounds like artillery going off for those who don't get to the coast much to photograph.

Great timing.

 

[AlanLichty]

Ka boom!! I love it I can just here one of my favorite sounds

Thanks Ben - I am guessing you know exactly where I shot this from too.

This is really great Alan. Yeah, they really do make a loud boom sound, almost sounds like artillery going off for those who don't get to the coast much to photograph.

Great timing.

Thanks Jim - this is one of the noisier places along the OR coastline at high tide in the winter for these waves. There are 4 or 5 places along this section of basalt where the waves end up hitting packets including Cook's Chasm with the spouting horn right behind me when I shot this.

Nice part about all the noise is that no one will notice the sound of a drone flying overhead

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Nice timing on this Alan. Those are some big waves.

 

[AlanLichty]

Nice timing on this Alan. Those are some big waves.

Thanks Jameel - just the way I like the waves along the coast - BIG

 

[Trent Watts]

You can almost hear the sound when looking at the image Alan. Well done.

 

[AlanLichty]

You can almost hear the sound when looking at the image Alan. Well done.

Thanks Trent - there are several of these pockets in the basalt that feature booming sounds with the high tide so the sound is actually going on almost continuously all around you.

 

[Vieri]

Loved this, Alan! Can't wait to get there next fall! Best regards,

Vieri

 

[Beth]

looks like an explosion went off. a pretty big difference from the calm pools of water in the foreground.

 

[AlanLichty]

looks like an explosion went off. a pretty big difference from the calm pools of water in the foreground.

Thanks Beth - it sounded pretty much like an explosion too. I have been here on calm days at low tide and there is a hollow under the basalt ledge that has been carved out by the winter waves like this one. It's almost shaped like a parabolic reflector with the back well to the right of the visible ledge in this scene. When waves smack into it with high water like this there some really neat hydrotechnics to watch.

 

[AlanLichty]

Loved this, Alan! Can't wait to get there next fall! Best regards,

Vieri

Thanks Vieri - when are you going to be up here in the Pacific NW next fall?

 

[Vieri]

Thanks Vieri - when are you going to be up here in the Pacific NW next fall?

My pleasure, Alan! From the end of October to the end of November, for about a month driving down from Seattle to end up in Vegas

Best regards,

Vieri

 

[AlanLichty]

My pleasure, Alan! From the end of October to the end of November, for about a month driving down from Seattle to end up in Vegas

Best regards,

Vieri

Great time to visit. Pacific NW fall colors are nothing like east coast color shows but that is just about our peak and you will definitely get some interesting wave action around that time.

 

[Vieri]

Great time to visit. Pacific NW fall colors are nothing like east coast color shows but that is just about our peak and you will definitely get some interesting wave action around that time.

That's great to hear! We did a lot of research before deciding when to go, and that seemed to be the best time - glad we weren't too far off!

Best regards,

Vieri