Power of the Storm:
44 Ferocious Waves Attacking Lighthouses
When you don’t live close to a coastline or a major
body of water, seeing the waves when you visit is
exciting. But there are times when the waves turn
into churning monsters of nature that attack
man-made objects like lighthouses. Those exciting
huge waves are then terrifyingly ferocious. Yet
some people are held spellbound by nature’s fury.
And some are amazingly brave and talented
photographers who capture that perfect split
second to share with us. Lighthouses are found
worldwide, marking dangerous coastlines and
lighting the way to safe harbor. Can you imagine
being inside a lighthouse while nature is doing
her stormy best to chew it up and destroy it with
punishing waves? In this collection of fantastic
photos, it’s nature vs man-made lighthouses and
landmarks. It’s a struggle; the power of the
storm’s ferocious waves are attacking the
architecture of man. Which do you think will
win? We love these pics! [22 Photos on each part]
body of water, seeing the waves when you visit is
exciting. But there are times when the waves turn
into churning monsters of nature that attack
man-made objects like lighthouses. Those exciting
huge waves are then terrifyingly ferocious. Yet
some people are held spellbound by nature’s fury.
And some are amazingly brave and talented
photographers who capture that perfect split
second to share with us. Lighthouses are found
worldwide, marking dangerous coastlines and
lighting the way to safe harbor. Can you imagine
being inside a lighthouse while nature is doing
her stormy best to chew it up and destroy it with
punishing waves? In this collection of fantastic
photos, it’s nature vs man-made lighthouses and
landmarks. It’s a struggle; the power of the
storm’s ferocious waves are attacking the
architecture of man. Which do you think will
win? We love these pics! [22 Photos on each part]
~
The photographer described this awesome shot
as, “Stormy weather and rough seas at Roker
Lighthouse.” Photo #1 by © Gail Johnson
as, “Stormy weather and rough seas at Roker
Lighthouse.” Photo #1 by © Gail Johnson
~
Grand Haven Lighthouse. The photographer
described, “In this picture is the outer and
inner light. The outer light is 36′ tall and the
inner light is 51′ tall. I was able to venture
out safely about 150′ with out getting washed
into the water. Twice I got a bath from the
waist down. As the remnants of the record
low pressure moved on this past weekend
the waves on Lake Michigan were pretty
rough. When we got the beach in the early
afternoon winds were topping out at 50 mph
making for some huge waves breaking on the
end of the pier by the outer light. Some of the
breaks were reaching 40′ tall.”
Photo #2 by © Luke Hertzfeld
described, “In this picture is the outer and
inner light. The outer light is 36′ tall and the
inner light is 51′ tall. I was able to venture
out safely about 150′ with out getting washed
into the water. Twice I got a bath from the
waist down. As the remnants of the record
low pressure moved on this past weekend
the waves on Lake Michigan were pretty
rough. When we got the beach in the early
afternoon winds were topping out at 50 mph
making for some huge waves breaking on the
end of the pier by the outer light. Some of the
breaks were reaching 40′ tall.”
Photo #2 by © Luke Hertzfeld
~
Blizzard Rams New England. 1978 Pulitzer
Prize, Feature Photography, Staff
Photographers of Boston Herald American.
The lighthouse is 114 feet high, which
means that foam is spraying 100 feet into
the air, propelled upward by a raging sea
that sinks ships and floods towns up and
down the coast.
It is Feb. 8, 1978. A blizzard has rammed
New England, shutting down roads,
businesses and schools. Snow buries
everything. Nothing moves. Kevin Cole,
chief photographer at The Boston Herald
American, is stuck in Plymouth, Mass.
“The snow was over the house. I’ve
never seen anything like it.” Determined
to cover the storm, Cole heads for the
Hyannis airport. “I found this place
called Discover Flying School. The wind
was blowing. The pilot said ‘You’re crazy,
nobody’s going up.’”
Before long, they are airborne. “It was this
little, tiny plane. We took off. The whole
coastline was gone, houses in the water,
houses floating, waves crashing inside
them. About two miles out, I saw Minot
Light.”
In the raging wind, they circle the
lighthouse. The pilot tells Cole, “We
can’t stay out here any longer.’ Just as
he started to turn, I saw a huge wave.
That’s when I got that shot, and that’s
the same time I threw up.”
Other Herald American photographers
fan out around the region, photographing
the blizzard’s destruction: Villages buried
in freezing flood waters, commuters
trapped in snow-covered cars. The
newspaper publishes a special section,
which chronicles the worst New England
storm in 200 years—54 dead, 10,000
homeless and evacuated. Photo #3 by
Staff Photographers of Boston Herald
American via cliff1066™
Prize, Feature Photography, Staff
Photographers of Boston Herald American.
The lighthouse is 114 feet high, which
means that foam is spraying 100 feet into
the air, propelled upward by a raging sea
that sinks ships and floods towns up and
down the coast.
It is Feb. 8, 1978. A blizzard has rammed
New England, shutting down roads,
businesses and schools. Snow buries
everything. Nothing moves. Kevin Cole,
chief photographer at The Boston Herald
American, is stuck in Plymouth, Mass.
“The snow was over the house. I’ve
never seen anything like it.” Determined
to cover the storm, Cole heads for the
Hyannis airport. “I found this place
called Discover Flying School. The wind
was blowing. The pilot said ‘You’re crazy,
nobody’s going up.’”
Before long, they are airborne. “It was this
little, tiny plane. We took off. The whole
coastline was gone, houses in the water,
houses floating, waves crashing inside
them. About two miles out, I saw Minot
Light.”
In the raging wind, they circle the
lighthouse. The pilot tells Cole, “We
can’t stay out here any longer.’ Just as
he started to turn, I saw a huge wave.
That’s when I got that shot, and that’s
the same time I threw up.”
Other Herald American photographers
fan out around the region, photographing
the blizzard’s destruction: Villages buried
in freezing flood waters, commuters
trapped in snow-covered cars. The
newspaper publishes a special section,
which chronicles the worst New England
storm in 200 years—54 dead, 10,000
homeless and evacuated. Photo #3 by
Staff Photographers of Boston Herald
American via cliff1066™
~
Aftermath of the Winter Storm:
The photographer described this
photo as, “30 foot tall outer light
of the St. Joseph, Michigan after
a severe winter storm. Waves on
Lake Michigan were said to be
over 20 feet high, which pounded
the lighthouse and covered it in ice
feet thick in places. Workers were
just finishing up a paint job when
the storm hit. The scaffold was
demolished and is also covered
in a thick layer of ice.”
“The walk to the lighthouse was
treacherous- the pier is also
covered in a layer of ice. Most
of the way was slow going, but
the walk next to the inner light
was the most difficult. There is
only a path about 20 inches wide
with the lighthouse to your left,
and the frigid lake to your right.
I managed to carefully negotiate
the path and make it out to the
outer light. In hindsight, I’m lucky
I didn’t go for an unexpected winter
swim.” Photo #6 by Tom Gill
The photographer described this
photo as, “30 foot tall outer light
of the St. Joseph, Michigan after
a severe winter storm. Waves on
Lake Michigan were said to be
over 20 feet high, which pounded
the lighthouse and covered it in ice
feet thick in places. Workers were
just finishing up a paint job when
the storm hit. The scaffold was
demolished and is also covered
in a thick layer of ice.”
“The walk to the lighthouse was
treacherous- the pier is also
covered in a layer of ice. Most
of the way was slow going, but
the walk next to the inner light
was the most difficult. There is
only a path about 20 inches wide
with the lighthouse to your left,
and the frigid lake to your right.
I managed to carefully negotiate
the path and make it out to the
outer light. In hindsight, I’m lucky
I didn’t go for an unexpected winter
swim.” Photo #6 by Tom Gill
~
Ice Drapery: Ice formed on the
St. Joseph, Michigan lighthouse
and catwalk during a winter storm
that churned up Lake Michigan
and created 20 foot waves. The
ice apparently broke the “hand rail”
cables on the catwalk, and they are
now drooping down with tons of ice.
Photo #7 by Tom Gill
St. Joseph, Michigan lighthouse
and catwalk during a winter storm
that churned up Lake Michigan
and created 20 foot waves. The
ice apparently broke the “hand rail”
cables on the catwalk, and they are
now drooping down with tons of ice.
Photo #7 by Tom Gill
~
The Oswego Lighthouse is awash
with waves during a November 2003
storm with 80 mph winds. Photo #8
by © 2003 Jon R. Vermilye via
http://www.byways.org
with waves during a November 2003
storm with 80 mph winds. Photo #8
by © 2003 Jon R. Vermilye via
http://www.byways.org
~
South Haven Pier. Gale force winds
pound the South Haven, Michigan
lighthouse and pier during a two day
storm. Gusts of over 50 miles per
hour created 16 to 20 foot waves in
open water. Photo #10 by Tom Gill
pound the South Haven, Michigan
lighthouse and pier during a two day
storm. Gusts of over 50 miles per
hour created 16 to 20 foot waves in
open water. Photo #10 by Tom Gill
~
Winds 30-40, gusts to 55, mid lake
waves at 17-22 ft, very impressive
storm. This was taken from the
beach at Frankfort Michigan. The
lighthouse in the photo is 76 ft tall.
Photo #12 by Jim Sorbie
waves at 17-22 ft, very impressive
storm. This was taken from the
beach at Frankfort Michigan. The
lighthouse in the photo is 76 ft tall.
Photo #12 by Jim Sorbie
~
Gale force winds throughout the day
churned up Lake Michigan and
created high waves along the South
Haven, Michigan shore. The
lighthouse tower is 35 feet tall (from
the pier) another six feet to the water
– making that splash around 50 feet
tall. Photo #13 by Nwardez
churned up Lake Michigan and
created high waves along the South
Haven, Michigan shore. The
lighthouse tower is 35 feet tall (from
the pier) another six feet to the water
– making that splash around 50 feet
tall. Photo #13 by Nwardez
~
“Big Water” – Ludington North
Breakwater Light. The North
Breakwater Light is 57” feet tall
and the Lake Michigan waves were
going much higher! Photo #15 by
James Marvin Phelps
Breakwater Light. The North
Breakwater Light is 57” feet tall
and the Lake Michigan waves were
going much higher! Photo #15 by
James Marvin Phelps
~
Wind, waves and water. Beautiful
but pounding at the coastline and
the lighthouse. Photo #21 by Earl
Wilkerson
but pounding at the coastline and
the lighthouse. Photo #21 by Earl
Wilkerson
~
