It seems as though storms are like buses. You can wait an entire winter (as I did from 2022/2023) and nothing appears and then the next season, two come along at once. OK… perhaps not quite at once, but I photographed Storm Gerrit on 28th December 2023 and returned to Newhaven exactly three months later for Storm Nelson.
I seem to have the hang of this location now and know exactly when to find the sea at its wildest. Having checked the tide tables that morning, I found the high tide was about midday – roughly the earliest I could get there after seeing to our animals. That gave me an hour to assess the situation and park in the right spot. I may be wrong, but I have always found the best time starts one hour after high tide, with the wind blowing from the south-west.
I‘ve been there in worse storms, but this one was totally different. Normally, you can park pretty much anywhere along the front and only need a bit of luck to keep your car dry. Not so this time, as the entire car park was getting hammered. I watched for ages before trying the far right. It was slightly less wet, but the angle was awkward for the lighthouse. Finally, I spotted a dry patch much further back. It took a bit a careful manoeuvring to get in just the right position. At last, I was able to wind down my window and set up my camera and Sigma 150-600mm on my trusty bean bag.
The storm didn’t last long, but I had a very enjoyable afternoon out.
Steve
27 Jun 2024Very dramatic shots and well done you 🙂
Zooey
28 Jun 2024Cheers Steve! It’s always a fun way to spend a few hours 🙂
Sid
7 Jul 2024Impressive!
I do adore storms, I know I am a little bit crazy, and lighthouses: those shots are really fantastic! I would have liked to be there with you ????
Ciao
Sid
Zooey
8 Jul 2024Thank you Sid. I love storms too, although it’s always “interesting” driving down to the harbour in my little Smart car! 😀