Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Never Turn Your Back to the Ocean


On Martin Luther King Day we went to the ocean - the beautiful and wild Pacific Ocean. You know, we only live about an hour away from the ocean, but we go there way too seldom. But last Monday I told my family that I am going to the ocean and if they liked they could come with me.

They did.


It was a gorgeous day - warm and sunny. At the beach it was warmer than on some summer day - summer days at the ocean in this area can be quite chilly and foggy. We could run around in our sweaters, no need for hats or big jackets.


The ocean here is not a calm one. It is wild and completely unpredictable. On this Monday, the waves were extraordinary - huge and very very noisy. I love to watch these gigantic waves, how they slowly build up and then start to break and roll and finally crush towards the beach with loud thunder.


Such power!

We have two kinds of waves here - the "normal" ones and the sleeper waves which are far more dangerous because they seem to come out of nowhere and have so much power; they will easily knock over anyone who is in their path. The undercurrents are no less strong and pull you out in the ocean; you almost have no chance.


Many people have lost their lives here because they didn't take these waves seriously.

Children running at the edge of the water. People playing tag with the waves. Dog owners letting their dogs run through the water.

Signs are up everywhere, both in English and Spanish, warning people of the danger of these waves, of the ocean. The beaches are steep here and can easily trap you once you're in the water. So it's better to keep a safe distance from the water. It's still beautiful and relaxing to walk along the beach there, just keep away from the water.


And never, ever turn your back to the ocean!

(no, this is not my husband)

20 comments:

Jeanne said...

Glad this was not your husband after all of the warnings. Great shots and you have really captured the power of these waves. Beautiful, and yet so dangerous and unpredictable.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos of those powerful waves! I love the translucent ones with the light shining through and the spray flying from the tops. And you're so right about the danger.

Elephant's Child said...

So much power, so much beauty. Underestimated by too many.

Anonymous said...

Deine Beschreibung macht mir Gänsehaut ,wie gefährlich und unberechenbar das Meer ist und auch die Schönheit. In den Bildern hast Du das alles wunderbar eingefanfen, dort möchte ich einmal sein.
Liebe Grüße sendet Dir Patricia

GlorV1 said...

Hi Carola. These are excellent photos and wise advice. I would never turn my back.

Willkommen auf meiner Kreativseite. said...

Was für wunderbare Fotos! Das sind ja wirklich mächtige Wellen. Man hört richtig das Rauschen. Und die gute Luft von dort hätte ich gerne hier bei uns im Rhein-Main-Gebiet!

LG
Renate

windrock studio said...

I really love your images here ...
just breathtaking!

gina said...

Wow -- these photos really capture the power of the sea -- beautiful images, Carola! A neighbor's cousin was swept away by a sleeper wave a few years ago, so tragic!

Magic Love Crow said...

Very powerful! Gorgeous pictures of the ocean! I wonder what that guy is doing? Very interesting!

Darla said...

Wonderful shots of the water/waves. I know lots of people think of the beach in summer but I like it in the winter when it can be a bit wild. I do take precautions though.

Darla

Laurie said...

You've captured both the power and beauty of the ocean. Loved it. But now, I am so curious.....what happened to this man?

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! Love how you captured the spray!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

What amazing photos! I just love looking at those powerful waves and seeing the beauty of the ocean. But we were surprised when we went to the Atlantic ocean this week. It was calm...the calmest we've ever seen. And when we were there a month ago, the waves were the biggest we've seen. So it is always changing. Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by my friend!

KB said...

Beautiful, beautiful waves. They are glorious.

Maria Ontiveros said...

Gorgeous! We live just a few blocks from the ocean and truly appreciate its power. Today we had the big wave contest, which really demonstrated the power.
By the way, yes, the chickens are in our backyard (we own the lot behind our house).
Rinda

Seraphinas Phantasie said...

Wow, Du hast die Wellen perfekt eingefangen. Ich kann sehen, welche Kraft diese Wellen haben.
Ich wünsche Dir ein wunderschönes Wochenende.
Viele liebe Grüße Synnöve
P.S. Habe nun endlich meinen Shop bei Etsy etwas auf die Reihe bekommen.

denthe said...

Wow Carola, these pictures are amazing. So beautiful how you captured the power of the waves.

Catherine said...

You have captured the awe inspiring power so beautifully....and the colour......we have had the same stormy weather for months........deeply humbling.

Erika said...

Ein herrlicher Post mit wunderschönen Gedanken und herrlichen Wellen. Ein Traum, das in Natura zu erleben.
Viele liebe Grüße zu Dir!
Erika - Das blaue Haus

Sally H said...

Wow! Stunning photos, Carola! A wise message too x