Massive Storm

Yesterday we had the strongest storm to hit the area in several years. It was dramatic. The wind howled, the rain came down in sheets, and the surf roared. Actually, the best surf came in today, after the wind and rain had abated. Breakers in excess of 20 feet roared ashore in spectacular fashion. I had only seen waves this large once in my 14 years in Monterey; that was about five years ago. The best place to go watch huge waves in this area is Carmel River State Beach. The ocean bottom drops off abruptly just offshore from the beach, and the waves rise to great heights before thundering down with a massive roar. There is also a bluff above the sand where the monster waves can be viewed safely.

When you're down near beach level, the waves actually loom overhead before they crash onto the sand. It's awesome!

You know the waves mean business when they barrel over the sand berm on the beach and roar across the parking lot into the lagoon with absolute impunity. A couple days ago the seaward side of the parking lot was perhaps 6-8 feet above the sand, but the storm surge combined with the high tide to completely remake the beach and smooth it out all the way from the berm through the lot to the lagoon.

When they crashed down, the waves thundered with a roar that vibrated the earth...at least that's how it seemed. Truly a spectacle of nature. I took a lot of video of the waves, and also of the oak trees waving in the storm the day before, but I haven't learned how to insert video clips into the blog.

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