After a few seconds, viewers can hear waves as the pavement begins to lurch upwards before resettling
March 9, 2016 - ITALY - Unnerving footage of a pavement appearing to take a series of deep breaths has emerged online.
The clip shows the 'possessed' paved dockyard in Cadimare, Italy, rising
and falling from the 'force of the tide', local media reports.
Despite claims that the movement is caused by waves beneath the pathway,
some people remain unconvinced, claiming that the video was made
courtesy of 3D computer graphics.
At the beginning of the footage, which was uploaded to Viral Hog, the affected dockway remains still with a barrier placed above it.
WATCH: Waves move below dockyard in Cadimare, Italy.
After a few seconds, viewers can hear waves as the pavement begins to lurch upwards before resettling.
According to Nine Msn,
the force of the tide coming into the coastal town in the Gulf of La
Spezia is apparently so strong that it causes parts of the floor in the
centre to move.
People have claimed online that the moving pavement is actually down to
Gozer the Destroyer from Ghostbusters, who haunts the ground.
Despite several comments stating that the dockyard's movement is caused by the water beneath it, many remain sceptical.
One YouTube user, Lucassnakesman said: 'That's either some amazing special effects or something really f***** up is going on.
Another said: 'It's not real. Look at the legs of the steel barrier, they're 3D computer graphics.' - Daily Mail.
January 24, 2016 - CHILE - Waves of more than 5 meters (16 feet) high are currently crashing on the coast of Chile, particularly hitting the city of Vina del Mar.
Due to the full moon, swells will intensify on Sunday January 24, 2016.
WATCH: Huge tidal waves in Chile.
Watch these insane pictures and video of the giant waves flooding Vina del Mar. - Strange Sounds.
A "rogue" wave rolled in and inundated Joe Creek near Pacific Beach. (Photo: Irene Sumi)
January 21, 2016 - WASHINGTON STATE, UNITED STATES - People on the Washington Coast got quite a show over the weekend when
a "rogue" wave rolled in and inundated a creek and beach near Pacific
Beach.
Irene Sumi was staying at a friend’s home, which overlooks the mouth of Joe Creek, and just happened to flip on her camera when the wave started to come in.
“The tide was coming in but that was definitely a rogue wave that came in quickly and big -- filled up the entire creek bed and beach,” she said.
Sumi says she visits the area regularly.
“I’ve never seen a big wave come in like that,” she said.
The wave was carrying logs and debris with it.
Several people got caught in what some are calling a "rogue wave" on the Washington Coast on Jan. 16. MarTeam Photography
MarTeam Photography
MarTeam Photography
“It’s pretty dangerous when those waves roll through,” she said.
She posted the video on Facebook and some people compared it to a “mini tsunami.”
“That one you couldn’t run fast enough to get out of the way,” she said.
Steve Martin was with a group on the beach at Ocean Shores when the surge happened.
“I was up on the bluff and had not gone down to the beach yet, but was on my way,” he said.
Martin saw a police car coming right to left, then his friends saw the wave, as did the officer in the police car.
“He pulled a quick u-turn and gunned it to try and beat the wave as our friends were at a dead run towards the bluff. As you can see from the photo, they didn't make it,” he said. “No one was seriously injured, just pretty shook up.”
WATCH: 'Mini tsunami' along Washington coast caught on camera.
“It was probably 100 yards or so of beach that was suddenly gone,” said Martin.
The National Weather Service had issued warnings over the weekend about dangerous surf.
Ocean Shores firefighter Brian Ritter said he has never before seen the ocean behave the way it did that day.
“Multiple people were rolled and injured by this very fast surge,” he said. “These waves pack huge logs and debris traveling at dangerous speeds, causing major traumatic injuries.”
Ritter said the most vulnerable are the people that come to the beach to "storm watch" and actually set foot on the beach, potentially putting themselves at risk.
“Elderly and small children can easily become victims, as there were incidents on this day,” he said.
Ritter said people should pay attention to warnings and signage.
"Stay off coastal beaches during high surf warnings," he said. "Watch from afar. Mother Nature is unforgiving." - KING5.
November 30, 2015 - BRITAIN - Met Office issues weather warnings for whole of England and Wales as
storm brings severe gales and Environment Agency warns of flooding.
Britons are braced for more lashing rain as flood warnings were issued for parts of the country as Storm Clodagh wreaked havoc.
Flights were diverted, trains delayed and traffic held up on motorways
at the weeknd as heavy rain and strong winds hit Scotland and the north
west of England.
There is little sign of respite with the Environment Agency issuing
yellow flood warnings for Wales and the north of England for Monday and
Tuesday. By Wednesday, two days of rain could leave parts of north Wales
under 60mm of precipitation.
The north of England could see 30-40mm of rain during the same period,
say the Met Office. A spokeswoman also warned that parts of Scotland,
which is on a yellow snow warning, could have 2.5cm of snow on Monday.
On Sunday in Ireland, thousands of properties were left without electricity after Storm Clodagh battered the republic.
Meanwhile, coastguards had to pull a windsurfer out of the water at
Seaburn Beach, Sunderland, after he was separated from his board in 60
mph winds. Two people were rescued from the Tyne by the RNLI after their
boat was capsized by the wind.
Transport services also were also hit. Fallen trees on the line between
Carlisle and Lancaster caused delays on the Northern Rail service, while
a small number of flights were diverted at Manchester Airport.
The roof of a parade of shops was blown off and onto cars below on
Moorfield Avenue in Denton, Tameside this afternoon with residents
living in flats above the shops given temporary shelter for the night.
A number of trees were also blown over and part of the Christmas market
in Manchester city centre was closed for safety reasons as high winds
swept the area.
A flurry of local authorities cancelled their Christmas lights switch-on events, with the list including Kilmarnock, Stoke, Maidenhead, Lichfield and Gosport.
Storm Clodagh was set to pass overnight, giving buffeted Britain respite from the worst of the gales.
The Met Office has issued weather warnings covering the whole of England and Wales until Sunday evening.
Northern areas were still forecast to suffer rain, sleet and snow
showers on Sunday night, according to the Met Office, with icy stretches
developing across Scotland and a some rain in England and Wales.
But the severe gales were gradually expected to ease, and southern areas
were due to be breezy and mild on Monday. Northern Scotland was due to
see sunshine and wintry showers, and the north of England some rain.
Storm Clodagh is the third storm to be named by the Met Office as part
of a new campaign to improve awareness of major weather threats. It
follows Storm Barney earlier this month and Storm Abigail in October. - Telegraph.
Woman saved after wave sweeps her off cliff on Aran Islands
April 20, 2015 - IRELAND - A student taking video in Ireland's Aran Islands captured the moment a
tourist taking pictures atop a tall cliff was washed away by a massive
wave.
Brian Smith, a U.S. student studying in Ireland, was taking video on
Inis Mor, the largest of the islands, when a massive wave swept
Aparajita Gupta, 21, off the cliff where she was taking pictures of the
crashing waters.
Smith said he and his girlfriend ran to call for help.
"It was pretty scary at first," Smith told NBC News.
Gupta, who was visiting Ireland from India with her parents, estimated she fell about 50 feet to the water below.
"The water cushioned my fall, so when I finally fell the impact wasn't
as great as it could have been and next to me, there was a boulder and I
held onto it," Gupta said.
Seamus McCarthy, a paramedic, witnessed Gupta's fall and saw her limping at the bottom of the cliff.
"I could see her limping close to the bottom of the cliff. The waves
were still coming in so it was very dangerous. When I reached down I
could barely get my fingertips to her," he told the Irish Independent.
WATCH: Woman knocked off cliff by huge wave in the Aran Islands.
McCarthy fashioned a rope out of a jacket, tied it to a backpack, and lowered it for Gupta.
"She put the rucksack on and tied the bellystrap. As one of the others
pulled her up and was able to reach out and grab her," he said.
Gupta was taken to Galway hospital, where she was treated for a broken ankle.
"The video shows just how quickly our powerful aquatic environments can
change especially in coastal areas subject to Atlantic swells. It is
terribly important to stay away from the edge and to make sure that
children receive constant uninterrupted supervision near water," a
representative for Irish Water Safety said. - UPI.
A wave crashes over the pier at Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon Friday, Oct. 31, 2014. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)
November 2, 2014 - CHICAGO, UNITED STATES
- Lake Michigan waves neared record territory Friday as gale-force
winds churned the waters into massive breakers on shorelines across the
state. The southern buoy, located in the middle of the lake due west of Holland, recorded a 21.7-foot wave height earlier this afternoon.
A wave crashes over the north pier head in Muskegon Friday, Oct. 31, 2014. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)
Waves crash over the breakwall at Clinch Park Marina in downtown
Traverse City, Mich. on Friday, Oct. 31. The waves flooded the marina
parking lot,
causing headaches for city and utility workers. (Garrett
Ellison | MLive.com/The Grand Rapids Press)
View of West Grand Traverse Bay on Friday, Oct. 31 from the Great Lakes
Campus at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, Mich. High
winds,
30 to 50 mph, kicked up large waves. Picture shows the State of
Michigan training ship at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy.
(Garrett
Ellison | MLive.com/The Grand Rapids Press)
View of West Grand Traverse Bay on Friday, Oct. 31 from the Great Lakes
Campus at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, Mich. High
winds,
30 to 50 mph, kicked up large waves. Picture shows the State of
Michigan training ship at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy.
(Garrett
Ellison | MLive.com/The Grand Rapids Press)
Waves batter the pier along Lake Michigan at Holland State Park, Mich., Friday, October 31, 2014. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)
Matt Mcinerney of Holland takes a selfie on the pier as he is hit by a
wave along Lake Michigan at Holland State Park, Mich., Friday, October
31, 2014.
(Joel Bissell | MLive.com)
People view large waves along Lake Michigan at Holland State Park, Mich., Friday, October 31, 2014. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)
A couple walks along the beach as large waves come along Lake Michigan
shoreline at Holland State Park, Mich., Friday, October 31, 2014.
(Joel
Bissell | MLive.com)
Marc Hoeksema prepares to surf in Lake Michigan waves at Pere Marquette
Park in Muskegon, Mich., Friday, Oct. 31, 2014.
(AP Photo/The Muskegon
Chronicle, Cory Morse)
It, too, measured a wind speed of 59 mph, just below its all-time highest speed at 62 mph set on Nov. 10, 1998.
WATCH: Surfers brave large waves and snow in Muskegon.
A wind advisory remains in effect for the southern half of the state through 7 p.m. Friday at the earliest.
Grand
Rapids and Ionia reported a peak wind gust by 4 p.m., with Saginaw just
a tick higher. Gusts are expected to lessen through the prime
trick-or-treating hours.
The highest wave recorded by the south buoy: 23 feet. It came in September 2011.
The buoy has been measuring waves since 1981. - MLIVE.
February 14, 2014 - CARIBBEAN - The Caribbean could be at risk from a mega-tsunami that scientists
warn could devastate coastlines from Florida to Brazil following a
volcanic eruption in the Canary Islands.
The monster wave generated by part of a mountain collapsing into the sea would be the biggest ever recorded and would be an unstoppable force, travelling at speeds of up to 500mph.
The massive wall of water would likely make first landfall on the West Saharan coast of Morocco, where the wave could measure as much as 330ft from trough to crest.
The greatest destruction was nevertheless expected in the built-up coastal areas of the Caribbean, Florida and Brazil, according to a new forecast by Dr Simon Day of the Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre at University College London.
The tsunami could reach heights of 130ft to 164ft throughout the region and travel several miles inland, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Earlier research by Dr Day had predicted that a future eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano in the Canary Islands was likely to cause the western flank of the mountain to slide into the sea.
Dr Day, working in conjunction with Dr Steven Ward of the University of California, has now produced an updated model that predicts more accurately the size of the tsunami and the areas it will impact.
The model predicts that after the landslide the tsunami would travel a distance of almost 155 miles in just 10 minutes and would reach the Caribbean and Florida in eight or nine hours.
The forecast goes on to predict that a wall of water 164ft high could smash into the coasts of the Caribbean and Florida, while Brazil’s northern coast could be hit by a wave more than 130ft high.
According to Dr Day: "The collapse will occur during some future eruption after days or weeks of precursory deformation and earthquakes.
"An effective earthquake monitoring system could provide advanced warning of a likely collapse and allow early emergency management organisations a valuable window of time in which to plan and respond.
"Eruptions of Cumbre Vieja occur at intervals of decades to a century or so and there may be a number of eruptions before its collapse. Although the year-to-year probability of a collapse is therefore low, the resulting tsunami would be a major disaster with indirect effects around the world.
"Cumbre Vieja needs to be monitored closely for any signs of impending volcanic activity and for the deformation that would precede collapse." - Caribbean 360.
NOTE: This post was contributed by Jacqui Chasson.
February 06, 2014 - EARTH's COASTAL REGIONS - New research predicts that coastal regions may face massive increases in damages from storm surge flooding over the course of the 21st century.
Aerial views during an Army search and rescue mission show damage from Hurricane Sandy to the
New Jersey coast, Oct. 30, 2012. Credit: US Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen
According to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, global average storm surge damages could increase from about $10-$40 billion per year today to up to $100,000 billion per year by the end of century, if no adaptation action is taken.
The study, led by the Berlin-based think-tank Global Climate Forum (GCF) and involving the University of Southampton, presents, for the first time, comprehensive global simulation results on future flood damages to buildings and infrastructure in coastal flood plains. Drastic increases in these damages are expected due to both rising sea levels and population and economic growth in the coastal zone. Asia and Africa may be particularly hard hit because of their rapidly growing coastal mega-cities, such as Shanghai, Manila and Lagos.
"If we ignore this problem, the consequences will be dramatic," explains Jochen Hinkel from GCF and the study's lead author. In 2100, up to 600 million people (around 5 per cent of the global population) could be affected by coastal flooding if no adaptation measures are put in place.
"Countries need to take action and invest in coastal protection measures, such as building or raising dikes, amongst other options," urges Hinkel. With such protection measures, the projected damages could be reduced to below $80 billion per year during the 21st century. The researchers found that an investment level of $10 to $70 billion per year could achieve such a reduction. Prompt action is needed most in Asia and Africa where, today, large parts of the coastal population are already affected by storm surge flooding.
However, investment must also occur in Europe as shown by the recent coastal floods in South West England. Professor Robert Nicholls from the University of Southampton, who is a co-author of the paper, says: "If we ignore sea-level rise, flood damages will progressively rise and presently good defences will be degraded and ultimately overwhelmed. Hence we must start to adapt now, be that planning higher defences, flood proofing buildings and strategically planning coastal land use."
Meeting the challenge of adapting to rising sea levels will not be easy, explains Hinkel: "Poor countries and heavily impacted small-island states are not able to make the necessary investments alone, they need international support." Adding to the challenge, international finance mechanisms have thus far proved sluggish in mobilising funds for adapting to climate change, as the debate on adaptation funding at the recent climate conference in Warsaw once again confirmed.
"If we do not reduce greenhouse gases swiftly and substantially, some regions will have to seriously consider relocating significant numbers of people in the longer run," adds Hinkel. Yet regardless of how much sea-level rise climate change brings, the researchers say careful long-term strategic planning can ensure that development in high-risk flood zones is appropriately designed or avoided. Professor Nicholls says: "This long-term perspective is however a challenge to bring about, as coastal development tends to be dominated by short-term interests of, for example, real-estate and tourism companies, which prefer to build directly at the waterfront with little thought about the future." - Science Daily.
February 05, 2014 - SPAIN - The beach at El Sardinero seems a battlefield debris , remains of broken rails and playground . Tense during the early morning waves over ten meters have ravaged the coast in the early hours of the morning was proof of the severity of the damage.
The list is long and runs through the Cantabrian coast , from Castro Urdiales to San Vicente de la Barquera, with the capital, Castro Urdiales and Laredo as most affected areas. Waves at the Virgen del Mar has thrown rub maximum height 11 meters , according to Red Buoy Vigia Government of Cantabria , 8.15 meters santoña .However oceanographic buoy weather station Augusto Gonzalez Linares, which is located 27 miles from the Virgen del Mar, collected two waves of around 15 meters at two and seven o’clock
In the Avenida Garcia Lago Santander sum flooded buildings and walls up. The Hotel Chiqui , however , has resisted remarkably well the fury of the sea. Can not say the same restaurants and Cormorant Park , in the foothills of El Sardinero beach , like the BNS room that is cracked . Water has armored doors and windows broken . The local ” is the closest thing to a pool ,” he said early in the morning a cop .. The picture was perfect chaos : stools , bulletproof glass , chairs , tables …all ‘ snorkelling ‘ on the premises.
At low Maremondo restaurant , the owners of the Surf School Sardinero found with local devastated. ” At six o’clock it was high tide with a coefficient of 103 and Hercules fortnight ago has become Samson tonight. Was the accident , the sea has hit hard at that time , as always but has coincided with a wave of a hundred . Was as if it had been a tsunami , “explained the veteran surfer and businessman Carlos Beraza . A few yards away , showers torn with cement bases and a broken swings that seem to be of the second beach , across Piquío , piled in the corner of the low . An authentic battlefield.
The mayor of Santander, Iñigo de la Serna , visited the area and explained that the City is working on an overall assessment of the damages that have particularly affected the Second El Sardinero Beach and Lake Avenue Manuel García way . Water has started in this area 150 meters from rail plus smash , pillars and stone walls and lifting tiles passing numerous promenade.
The cash register restaurant ‘The Park ‘ in Santander appeared stranded on the supermarket car park Lupa, more than a hundred meters. The waves swept local, recently restored from damage from a previous storm. A sea of twisted metal , splintered glass and kitchenware restaurant carpeted place . The same fate befell his neighbor ‘ Cormorant ‘ . The water reached the first floor , broke windows and flooded the halls . All around, the ice cream kiosk was uprooted from its location and situated within the ride. Several provisions of the Local Police and Firefighters work from this morning in the area next to the street cleaning services will keep operating all night.
Castro Urdiales
In Castro Urdiales, strong waves that occurred coinciding with the high tide has caused the displacement of several vehicles that were parked in the park Iron Silvestre Ochoa Street and La Atalaya, who finished colliding with each other . In addition, the strong waves caused flooding in the basement of a house in the Avenida de la Playa . The tide has also taken about 35 meters quay wall Don Luis , part of the balustrade of the Pergola and has busted several crystals of Hotel Miramar, located on the beach in Brazomar . The virulence of the sea has also been felt in Hall Nautical Activities in which there have been various materials that have affected trawlers Sports Rowing Society . Beach december in Mioño also has dawned affected by the storm. The emergency services have been forced Castro to cut off access to St. Guillen and the Avenue Plaza for concern.
San Vicente de la Barquera
112 Cantabria teams have had to act to bail water on local streets and San Vicente de la Barquera, that on Saturday and suffered minor flooding . In Comillas beach turned razed. The wooden structures of the main entrance and remains of the concrete railings appeared on the wall of the barracks of the Civil Guard, ” and do not know where the showers are ” read first thing in the morning the Mayor Maria Teresa Noceda , who inspected the damage. The beach has disappeared Oyambre parking and waves have eaten part of the dunes fence golf course is now directly on the beach. The duel chiringuiro ‘ The bird amarilolo ‘ recounted as the waves passed over the roof of the premises.
Emergency services also had to intervene to help injured or washed ashore on the campsite Garlic ( Bareyo ) , where the waves have moved several cars.
The Red Buoy Watcher of the Cantabrian Government located off the Virgen del Mar has registered this morning Waves of up to eleven meters. The buoy Augusto González Linares, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography has anchored 22 miles north of Cabo Mayor, the waves have been greater , with mean values of between nine and ten meters. In this case , the data do not specify the peaks reached.
Graves vandalized Comillas Beach
The storm has caused severe damage in the Comillas Beach . The strong wind that blew all night up the wooden planks of the ramp that leads to the sand and caused havoc in the showers . But the greatest destruction occurred undoubtedly in the railing that separates the beach promenade , which has been , in many sections, reduced to rubble.
In the area of pine forests , and has caused soplaos ” has moved a lot of sand ,” said the mayor, Teresa Noceda . In the port area , the storm has also left its mark ” and has devastated the gates of the cellars .” Noceda explained that ” had never seen destruction of this caliber in Comillas Beach ” and said that ” it will cost a lot of money to fix it .” For the City, “has given part Coasts and Ports and so far , we can not know how much, but again put this into terms we will cost a lot, because it has been a disaster ,” settled.
Laredo
” Never had this happen ,” says the local police in Laredo. ” If it rains we flooded the village ” . The villa has also seen extensive damage . The stone walls of the street Almirante Bonifaz are blown , like the doors of the boardwalk.
” The picnic of the strut are up five feet of water and access roads are impassable .” Flooded streets , destroyed by being washed ashore and collided against walls or other cars seven garages flooded vehicles … In Laredo “injuries are numerous and the ships left port ,” according to the Local Police.
Santoña is another municipality that has suffered the effects of the storm . The beach of San Martin has been the most affected and the strength of the sea has been carried out more than 18 meters barandilla.También has uprooted one of the showers . The campaign of the passage , which is located opposite the Military Board , has been flooded and has also suffered damage Pier pleasure boat that connects Laredo Santoña in particular have been shattered wooden stairs giving access to the beach.
Suances
The time not spent long in Suances overnight and left impressive scenes in various parts of town . In the Los Locos beach , the waves swept the front of the terrace chriringuito specifically the railing and awning that covered . Two years ago something similar happened , but also water the terrace floor , wooden, which has now been enhanced was and has remained in place.
No major damage has occurred, in the beach of La Concha , water has entered the interior streets and in specific areas of the bike path and dragged sand and palucada . This scene has been seen on the street Enrique Oti , at the height of Restaurant Ciaboga and from the area of The Pier Hotel has also gone up to the water stop at Hotel Soraya.
In Tagle , strong olejaje has left the beach without sand.
Santoña and Bareyo
The coastal storm has left its mark on the town of Santoñaque has dawned with a trail of destruction in its two beaches , which have been damaged by the lash of the waves. On the beach located in the town most affected area was San Martín offered a hard punch . The rocks , sand , sticks and algae invade this part of the ride that has seen its metal rails have been torn by the roots with the tiles on which they were installed included. The stone benches have also been displaced several meters and the shower was on this beach . At the foot of Fort St. Martin stones carried by the sea accumulate. The campaign of the glacis , against Military Board has awakened completely flooded imagine being able to hit up the surf last night . Passage Pier have not escaped since the wooden structure to facilitate access to the beach of La Machina has been uprooted and destroyed their tables full. And the whole ride, to a greater or lesser extent, has remnants of sand.
Another eastern municipalities that have not escaped this furious storm is Bareyo . Here, the beach has been Cuberris most important damage left by an unfortunate image . The waves have uprooted the concrete walkways that allow access to this sandy and has destroyed the entire street furniture including public bathrooms. The sand level , says Mayor Jose de la Hoz, have fallen about fifteen feet in sea water has even reached the hotel zone where you have suffered flooding and camping . Such has been the force that has driven cars that were in place and has been introduced in the camping facilities. - RTVE. [Translated]
January 23, 2014 - HAWAII - A low-pressure system is arriving over Hawaii, creating some of the
biggest waves in a decade and attracting surfers from all over the
world.
A satellite image of a low pressure system north of Hawaii that may
produce 40-50 foot waves in Oahu this week.
This will likely be the
largest wave event in 10 years for Hawaii. (NOAA)
According to HawaiiNewsNow.com, waves reaching as high as 40 and 50 feet continue to pound North Shore beaches Thursday. The National Weather Service says this will likely be the largest surf event of the season so far, and perhaps the largest in 10 years.
“The huge waves are the result of a potent area of low pressure passing well north of Hawaii that has been producing hurricane-force winds,” said weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce.
The waves reached their peak Wednesday, but the danger will remain throughout the week. A high surf warning is in effect until 6 a.m. Friday.
A National Weather Service forecast discussion had a strongly-worded warning for residents as they gear up for the monster waves: "Anyone approaching the shoreline could face significant injury or death. Significant coastal inundation and property damage is possible. Road closures are likely and breaking waves may make it impossible to enter or leave harbors."
"We will sandbag our laundry area and the beach key access area where we do have some electronic rooms and stuff on the lower level that we don't want to get damaged, you know, elevator rooms and stuff like that," said Greg Roe, manager of a residential complex that sits close to the beach, in an interview with Hawaii News Now.
Rough surf led to the closure of several beach parking lots in areas deemed unsafe for swimmers and surfers, according to NBCNews.com. Still, the report mentioned, some residents took to the beaches to get a closer look at the huge swells.
A surf contest in Oahu that was scheduled for Wednesday has been called off due to the conditions, according to a Reuters report. Despite the wave heights reaching rarely-seen levels, wind conditions wouldn't allow for competition.
Organizers told Reuters they hope to hold the event, known as the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Invitational, later this winter, as this is the time of year when waves are traditionally largest. - TWC.
January 09, 2014 - OCEANS - The latest round of extreme weather has created raging storms and giant waves, sweeping across the oceans of the planet. Some of the biggest swells ever have been recorded in Europe and Hawaii. Here are several of the latest reports:
Giant Wave Surfers Flock To Southwest France.
A man surfs the Belharra giant waves some two kilometers off the coast
of the
French basque country town of Urrugne on January 7, 2014
Big wave surfers hit southwest France Tuesday as the Belharra monster waves crashed onto the Basque country's Atlantic coast, creating swells of up to 15 metres.
The wave, one of Europe's highest, builds up over relatively shallow rocky coastal water more or less regularly, but primarily in autumn and at the end of winter, depending on wind speed and tides.
From early Tuesday morning dozens of surfers tried their luck riding the waves, watched by photographers and video makers on as many boats.
The Belharra has been a must for big wave surfers for over 10 years and has reached 18 metres (60 feet) at times.
The coastal area close to the Spanish border was on Monday and Tuesday put on orange alert amid threats of flooding.
In Biarritz, a woman was swept away by a wave as she was walking along the coast near a lighthouse on Sunday. Police was also investigating the possible disappearance of a homeless man on a beach. - SKN Vibes.
Striking Footage Of The Black Swell That Hit Europe.
The "Black Swell", courtesy of Winter Storm Hercules, has spilled giant waves over the European shores.
Belharra, Mullaghmore Head, Peniche, and Roca Puta were some of the best surf spots, during the historical swell that hit the Old Continent.
Surfers, jet ski rescuers and media professional did what they had to do. The result speaks for itself. Giant waves, paddle performances and breathtaking video sequences.
Let's take a look at the best footage from the 6th and 7th January, 2014. Ladies and gentlemen, tighten your leashes and welcome to Europe.
WATCH: Winter Storm Hercules create great waves.
WATCH: A great video edit by Vincent Kardasik. The pros get ready to challenge a fired up Belharra, during the infamous "Black Swell". It's the victory of paddle over tow-in.
WATCH: A memorable day for Shane Dorian, Jamie Mitchell, Grant "Twiggy" Baker, Peyo Lizarazu, Benjamin Sanchis, Stéphane Iralour and more, at the Belharra reef, on the Bay of Biscay, in France.
WATCH: Shane Dorian, from Kona, Hawaii, paddles into a huge wave at Belharra Reef, on the Bay of Biscay, in France.
WATCH: Roca Puta, a big wave surf spot located in the Basque Country, only breaks a few time in the year. But when it breaks, it's heaven on Earth.
WATCH: The story of a big wave surfing day, at Roca Puta, in 60 seconds. Get ready for perfect 16-foot wave faces.
WATCH: Near the Portuguese town of Peniche, the islet of Papoa, have proven that there are big waves everywhere in this country, besides Nazaré.
Mullaghmore Head is the jewel of Irish big wave riding. Andrew Cotton, Kurt Rist, Ollie O'Flaherty, Peter Conroy, Nic Von Rupp and friends didn't miss the "Black Swell" and scored XXL bombs in County Sligo. - Surfer Today.
Waves Cause Fear On Oahu's North Shore.
Mark Healey of Hawaii, takes a spill down the face of a large wave in
the second heat of The Quiksilver in
Memory of Eddie Aikau surf contest
at Waimea Bay located on the north shore of the island of Oahu
Tuesday.
surfing contest that is only held in extreme conditions is on for the
first time in five years,
thanks to the massive waves pounding Oahu's
famed North Shore.
Photo: Eugene Tanner, AP
Far from the mainland and the 49ers' quest for a championship, my family vacation was about two hours old when we faced the prospect of evacuation. Barely settled into our rented beachfront home on the North Shore of Oahu, we watched a massive wooden deck break off a neighbor's house and collapse into the sea, there to be crushed and splintered into useless debris.
A full-blown crisis of erosion had hit our little stretch of surfing's mecca. An 18-foot swell was in progress, the beach had disappeared and waves were quickly dismantling precious property. Whatever fronted a half-dozen homes - deck, lanai, lawn, embankment - was either destroyed or about to be washed away. (To this day, one of the homes teeters on the edge of a 20-foot bluff, certain to be lost in time.)
Sudden deterioration
Our place, owned by an Austrian windsurfer/skier, seemed to be better fortified than the rest. But suddenly there were cracks, growing larger by the hour, on the surface of our deck. It began to sag and tilt, as if eventually to separate from the house altogether. Surveying this scene of rapid deterioration, my wife and daughter joined me in concluding, "We've got to get out of here."
In this photo taken Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, surf breaks at the Bonzai
Pipeline on the north shore of Oahu.
The National Weather Service has
issued a high surf warning as giant surf was expected to hit the north
and west shores of most of the Hawaiian Islands through Wednesday. Surf
heights will be 25 to 35
feet along north shores and 15 to 25 feet
along west shores of Niihau, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui.
(AP Photo/Honolulu
Star Advertiser, Dennis Oda)
Photo: Dennis Oda, Associated Press
In this photo relased by the Association of Surfing Professionals, a
surfer rides a massive wave during a
warm up session for the Rip Curl
Pro Pipeline Masters at the Banzai pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu,
Hawaii, Monday, Dec. 13, 2004. The contest was placed on hold due to
stormy surf conditions which
rocked the North Shore early Monday. When
the surf subsides and good surfing conditions prevail the
Rip Curl Pro
will take to the waters once again. (AP Photo/ASP, Pierre Tostee)
Ran on: 08-28-2005
A
surfer warms up in front of a crowd before the Rip Curl Pro Pipeline
Masters, one of several
big-wave surfing contests on Oahu's North Shore.
Photo: Pierre Tostee, AP
We called some friends and were offered refuge at a safe place about 3 miles up the road. We moved virtually all of our belongings there, all the while awaiting word from our Colorado-based landlord. Around nightfall, he assured us the house was secure, and that he'd be on the next flight out.
That was nearly two weeks ago. While local residents and their friends engaged in desperate recovery measures with tarps, sandbags and wooden blockades (the big swells subsided, creating a narrow and much-needed stretch of beach), our house held up. There was no further damage to the deck. And I was reminded once again: paradise can be fleeting in the place where everything revolves around the pounding surf.
No hotels in area
There are no hotels on the North Shore's so-called "seven-mile miracle" because the ocean gets a bit disruptive at times. Virtually everyone living at or near the beach has some sort of direct connection to the sea. I first came here 40 years ago (January 1974), and in returning each winter, I've noticed no significant change in the architecture, the landscape or even the town of Haleiwa. That's why I keep coming back, occasionally with a big surprise in store.
In 1982, I huddled inside a beachfront bungalow while Hurricane Iwa raged overnight, leaving considerable destruction in its wake. Somehow my place held up, but four years later, it was damaged beyond repair by a "rogue" wave that slammed into the homes along Ke Iki Road with full force around midnight. I still don't know how I survived it. I came to my senses in a standing position, sand and saltwater in my hair, basically unhurt as I waded through broken glass and shattered wood and noticed that the metal frame of my bed, where I'd been sleeping, was grotesquely twisted and bent.
Waves in other places
The strange part about this latest episode is that a truly giant swell - 30 feet on the island scale, or more than 50 feet on the face - was not involved. The process of erosion began in summer, when locals noticed that the customarily calm seas had not caused the annual buildup of sand. The surf season brought a steady stream of west swells from an angle so extreme, the onrushing whitewater affected shoreline property in a manner unseen for decades.
Ke Nui Road property owner Kenneth Dombrowski does whatever he can to
shore up the hillside to prevent
erosion. Surf has affected coastal
homes this winter despite there being relatively few giant
swells along
the North Shore.
Photo: Craig Kojima, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
A tractor moves sand to help defend beach homes on Oahu after erosion
caused by recent high surf
damaged several properties on Ke Nui Road.
Photo: Craig Kojima, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Then again, this has been a crazy season in the world of big-wave surfing. With a persistent high-pressure system lingering over Northern California, Mavericks (in Half Moon Bay) has produced only a couple of rideable days and nothing close to the giant surf required to hold its annual contest. Hawaii's equivalent, the Eddie Aikau invitational at Waimea Bay, still awaits that first A-1 swell.
Meanwhile, the Atlantic Ocean is booming off the charts. So much huge surf has pounded the coastlines of Ireland, Portugal, Spain and France since the onset of autumn, it's being called Europe's "most consistent string of radical storms in the modern era of big-wave surfing" by Bill Sharp, event director of the annual Billabong XXL awards.
European surfing
In late October, Brazilian surfer Carlos Burle rode a wave estimated to be nearly 100 feet (a world record, if officially confirmed) at Nazare, off the coast of Portugal. A memorable contest took place last month in the Basque country of Spain, and the top three finishers, in order, were Mavericks regulars Grant "Twiggy" Baker, Nic Lamb and Kenny Collins. This week, the so-called "Winter Storm Hercules" has moved on from the Midwest and Northeast and into the Atlantic, forecast to produce perhaps the largest surf ever ridden in Europe.
Not that Hawaii has vanished from relevance. Record crowds packed the beach in mid-December to watch 41-year-old Kelly Slater take on superstars nearly half his age at the storied Pipeline Masters. It was the final event on the pro tour, and Slater fell short of his 12th world title because the eventual winner, Mick Fanning, had stockpiled a sizable points advantage. And yet, in epic conditions, Slater won the contest for the seventh time, schooling all those hotshot kids and proving once again that he ranks with the all-time greatest athletes in any sport. Some things never change. - SF Gate.
Surfer Braves Storms To Ride 50-Foot Waves.
Surfer Andrew Cotton took advantage of the storms sweeping across the Atlantic Ocean towards Britain to ride giant waves off the coast of Ireland
Bad weather has brought severe flooding and transport chaos to much of Britain over the past week, but for one man it has meant the thrill of his life.
Andrew Cotton, 34, from Braunton, north Devon, braved the elements to surf in some of the biggest Atlantic swell ever recorded off the coast of Donegal in Ireland.
The plumber-turned-professional surfer was towed out into the churning ocean on Tuesday and rode waves of up to 50 feet.
Huge surf battered the west coast of Britain and Ireland through the day and many areas have been on high alert for flooding.
Mr Cotton, however, has been searching for the biggest waves possible and travelled to Mullaghmore in Donegal to take advantage of the extreme conditions.
WATCH: Surfer braces epic storm.
He said: “Bad weather like we have had can bring a lot of flooding and damage, but on the flip side can also bring some really big waves for surfing.
“The storms over the past few weeks have meant that many waves have not been surfable as the wind has been too high.
“We saw the swell would be coming across the Atlantic and decided to head to Mullaghmore.
“The conditions were really good and we got some really big waves. The waves break on a shallow rock ledge so if I fell it could be really dangerous.”
However, the 50 feet waves tackled by Mr Cotton on Tuesday are not the largest he has ever ridden.
In October he surfed a wave that reportedly reached heights of 90 feet off the coast of Portugal during the St Jude storm.
This was briefly thought to be a new world record until a Brazilian surfer Carlos Burle rode what is thought to have been a 100 feet high wave at the same spot.
He has been searching for the biggest waves around the world as part of a series for adventure film channel EPIC TV.
He said that despite the bad weather, the waves off the Irish coast were some of the most thrilling he had encountered.
He added: “Before going out in the water it can be quite frightening but once out there I feel quite relaxed and happy to be out there.
“I try to concentrate on surfing these waves to the best of my ability.” - Telegraph.
