the big swell

i love hearing the ocean during the night. 

we are quite close to the beach but we don't hear it all the time.

 during this past week it has been roaring, the swell has been huge. when its like this i find myself constantly looking out my front windows to the water, watching the enormous waves breaking across the reef which shelters our bay from the open ocean.

we walked out on the jetty to get a closer look in the late afternoon. the photos don't do it justice. the waves had been breaking in the middle of the bay during the morning not just across the reef, with huge sprays of water coming up on to the headland rocks. it was a little smaller by the time we made it down to the beach in the afternoon but still just as fun to watch.

it was big. i love the power. it is quite exciting even for one who is a little very afraid of big waves.

we saw the strangest little bird at the end of the jetty, it wasn't at all afraid of the fisherman. i tried to identify it in my local areas field guide but it doesn't seem to be in there. to me it looks like some kind of kingfisher.