Making Waves.

[Kirbstone]

I've just read about this tethered buoy that they've installed 60 miles West out in the Atlantic off Ireland to record wave heights accurately. This is to aid the people who organise surfing competitions in Clare and Donegal, two favourite spots for this activity on the Irish West coast.
In the last couple of weeks we have had consistently high winds and storm conditions from the same direction, with the result that a record high wave was recorded yesterday of 20.4 meters, or 67 feet.
For my sins in high Summer (it doesn't get very high here!) I rode a few waves encouraged by a friend who had done this in Hawaii and who had a couple of boards. I managed to stand up briefly on the front face of head-height waves (6foot) and thought I was doing well.
The guys who tackle these monsters are all about a third my age and intrepid indeed. Not a place for skirts!

Wave_in_Clare.jpg

Wave Donegal Dec. 2011.jpg

The Cliffs of Moher, by the way, are 700 feet high....Just to add scale.

Tom K.

[STEVIE]

Not a place for skirts, it's the soiled underwear that would get me.

[crfriend]

[...] it's the soiled underwear that would get me.

Hint: The soil is water-soluable. Unless you're wearing a wet-suit, which, I suspect off Ireland, the lads are wearing.

[Kirbstone]

Further entertainment folks, & expect this guy doesn't soil his underwear.

Clare Wave.jpg

Tom K

[sapphire]

Looks like some of the waves photographed in the '60s. I'd never ride one of those monsters, but enjoyed body sufing in the modest waves in New Jersey.

You don't need a monster to have fun!

[STEVIE]

Hi Sapphire,
It's not quite a phobia as we talked about elsewhere, but if my "own body" is in water, I like to feel that I can make contact with the ground.
I have a hell of a respect for the people who can ride the waves, no matter the size.
Steve.
As a paradox, I do love the sea and wild water.

[sapphire]

Hi Steve,
I've always been a water baby. The waves in NJ were only 3-5 feet. I'm about half blind without corrective lenses, but went into the water sans lenses and looked at the color of the water to gauge the size of the waves. I was a strong swimmer back then. Oh, such a glorious feeling to catch a wave and ride into shore! Even if riding ot meant that I'd get tumbled and scraped in the sand. That tiny bit of time on the wave was so wonderous.
Diana

[Kilted Musician]

Tom... thanks for posting some great pics! I didn't know about surfing in Ireland... very cool! I live in San Jose California, fairly close [relatively speaking] to Half Moon Bay where the Mavericks Surf Contest is held annually... assuming the surf's good. Attached is my first and only time [so far] I've been on a surfboard!

Here's a link to pics I've taken at the ocean over the last few years or so...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrider/se ... 461012875/

--Rick

[Kirbstone]

Rick,
Like the Jumbo Jet 747 simulator, you can have a serious pile-up and just start again on that one ! You're a star, and thanks for the series of lovely coastal photos. I wasn't looking at the titles on my little laptop screen, and the rock pillar at Big Sur leapt out at me. One feature I remember from my last drive along that coast way back in the '80s, when we visited my brother-in-law in San Diego. I did part of it before in 1967, but that was in a previous incarnation before I was married.

Living near our East coast I'm about 150 miles away from our dangerous surfing beaches, all of which, needless to say are on the West, where the 3,000 mile North Atlantic fetch comes ashore. Our 52nd parallel bolthole in Kerry is quite near one, though. Big difference is your sunlight quality, and it shows in your photos.

Tom