With every significant Nor’Easter, one can count on a group to gather along Cliff Street near Red Steps to watch the waves explode along the causeway. Based on the height of the crash relative to the lamp posts, one can get a good measure of a storm and it’s power. This is a popular stop and I wasn’t alone here at high tide on the Saturday after the storm. I didn’t even have the longest lens of the group ;-)
Nevertheless, I watched the waves and chose my compositions while waiting for the breaks in clouds that would offer some backlight to the scene and give the waves added life and structure. I lucked out with this shot having chosen the correct lamp post for a change (I had been on a run of aiming at lamp posts with meager waves for the last 20 or 30 shots).
With the height of the crash and the backlight illuminating the full height of the wave, I knew I had gotten a unique version of this oft-taken shot – the seagull flying in just the right spot was icing.
*The height of the causeway lamp posts is 25 feet (per Light Dept) and assuming the ocean is at the same height on the opposite side of the causeway as where it lies on the harbor side, I measured the peak of this wave crash at 47 feet above sea level!
Well done, Eyal. What an incredible shot!
Thank you for capturing this for all of us who didn’t go outside. Scary, beautiful it says so much!
I have a similar shot and was trying to calculate the height. Thanks for going the math ?
I’m not positive about the height as the lamp post may not be 20’ (saw some could be 25’). Might call the Light Dept to Check but didn’t want to bug them after a long weekend for them.
CORRECTION: Called the Light Dept and the posts are 25′ high which means the top of the crashing wave hit 47 feet in this image!
Scary , awe inspiring, Mother Nature at her most terrifying. Thank you for risking life and limb so the rest of us can enjoy art. It truly is awesome.
No risk involved. This was taken with a 400mm lens well above (and away from) the causeway
Good because I would hate for your artwork not to be. Glad you have the good sense to not be in harms way.
We visit our son and his family in Marblehead and love the area. Our daughter in law sent me a link to your site and I look forward to your posts, they are beautiful. Plus it gives me locations to visit on our next trip.
Great shot and I was right on with height!!!
WOW!
I like how you considered all points, amazing photo. Did you get wet?
Only from the brief rain showers ;-)
Even the seagull, wow!
Beautiful!
Wow that’s some shot! Well done it’s powerful!