Weekly West Coast 2016 - Wet, Wet West Coast

I knew when I started this project that I'd struggle to post pictures when the rainy season hit.  I just didn't expect the struggle to start so soon! 

October was one of the wettest months on record here. There were 28 days of rain.   Motivation pretty much packed it in after day three of the deluge.  No wonder it was hard to find inspiration. 

Still, there is beauty to be had, even on the wettest days.  I just have to look a bit harder.  And find creative ways to record it when I do find it.  

The photos below were taken on a spectacularly stormy day last week. I parked at the beach and took pictures between swipes of my wiper blades.  It's hard to convey the awe  of that moment with just three pictures. The surf was crashing; the wind was roaring.  My car shook with the force of the gale.  Sea foam rose from the water and danced up and over my car.  As I was leaving, an eagle flew low just beyond my rear window.  A blast of wind stopped its flight, and it hovered at eye level for a moment before it struggled on. It was so close I could see individual feathers. 

Of course, still photos don't really do the weather justice. For that you need video.  Fortunately, I stumbled across this film, 29 Days of Rain, by local indie filmmaker Shane Philip this morning. You know there's been a lot of rain when there are salmon swimming around the playground equipment in the park. 

Have a great week all.  Wishing you warm thoughts wherever you are!