Uploaded October 2011 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
See youtube.com/watch?v=IuhWxZKhJow for more cool footage!
In stereo! On October 15, 2011 I was photographing the first autumnal gale on Lake Michigan near the south pier and lighthouse in South Haven, Michigan. I put away my 35mm and brought out my Canon S95, mounted it on a monopod for stability and began filming the fantastic waves. Mesmerized by what I was experiencing, I was drawn steadily out onto the pier despite all the warning sirens screaming in my brain. Those sirens were soon drowned out by the song of the other, beautiful sirens calling to me, beckoning that I come further and further out onto the pier.
The winds were gusting to near 40 kts as you can see by the water being sheared off from the top of the waves and pier. As the walk progressed, the wind whipped with increasing intensity and the waves became irregular and dangerous. Finally I came to my senses and returned to shore, satisfied that I had captured the essence of the storm. And please don't do this kind of thing yourself. What's the point? This video represents the experience very well and you can see for yourself what would happen if a rogue wave caught you napping. In fact I have photos of such waves hitting this part of the pier to prove it. I certainly won't do this again.
See youtube.com/watch?v=IuhWxZKhJow for more cool footage!
In stereo! On October 15, 2011 I was photographing the first autumnal gale on Lake Michigan near the south pier and lighthouse in South Haven, Michigan. I put away my 35mm and brought out my Canon S95, mounted it on a monopod for stability and began filming the fantastic waves. Mesmerized by what I was experiencing, I was drawn steadily out onto the pier despite all the warning sirens screaming in my brain. Those sirens were soon drowned out by the song of the other, beautiful sirens calling to me, beckoning that I come further and further out onto the pier.
The winds were gusting to near 40 kts as you can see by the water being sheared off from the top of the waves and pier. As the walk progressed, the wind whipped with increasing intensity and the waves became irregular and dangerous. Finally I came to my senses and returned to shore, satisfied that I had captured the essence of the storm. And please don't do this kind of thing yourself. What's the point? This video represents the experience very well and you can see for yourself what would happen if a rogue wave caught you napping. In fact I have photos of such waves hitting this part of the pier to prove it. I certainly won't do this again.
