King Tide Wave

Dancing with the earth, the ocean exploded with the finesse, beauty, lines and curves of a Prima Ballerina moving through the air during a sold out finale of a Broadway show. It was a visual feast and auditory celebration as monster swells crashed against the rugged Pacific shoreline, giving waves a physical appearance like I've never seen before. Mother Nature and its power and beauty were on full display during this January King Tide along the Pacific Ocean. 
 
This was my first King Tide in this location and it was EPIC. I planned my trip many months before and scheduled my entire day in Cape Disappointment in Southern Washington State. We also got a little lucky, as a winter storm rolled in a few days earlier giving us an even larger ocean swell. I set up behind the large stack of driftwood along the shoreline, making sure the rugged rock cliff and North Head Lighthouse were in my frame. I then spent many exciting hours capturing one large wave after another within the dreary overcast gray skies of a typical Pacific Northwest winter day. The waves were magnificent, but the light was non-existent. Flat, no contrast, no depth. But, then it happened. About three or so hours into the shoot, the clouds began to slightly break. The sunlight cracked through and popped between the thick dark clouds and onto the scene, giving us a beautiful backlight within the crashing waves. Then this monster wave came roaring into the Cape and I pulled my camera to my eye, framed the shot. And BOOM … The wave exploded. My finger holding down the shutter, clicking away. And upon its conclusion only a second or so later, I quickly glanced at the back of my camera and I know instantly this was the one. The reason why I came. All my planning and knowledge came to an amazing conclusion … The King Tide Wave.