by James Turley
Not forgetting the 270 degree horizons from my Big Lens Surf Photo days a few years ago, I suggested to Marek and David Kingsley we try for McNaught from Steamer Lane at the Lighthouse in Santa Cruz.
I arrived around 300pm, parked at the Lighthouse and was greeted by a giant glassy set of 12-20 foot swells, breaking from 2nd reef to the slot. Perfect waves on a windless afternoon. Waves packed with boards, and sleek surfers having a the rides of their life. I brought my big Canon Fluorite gear, my 20D, monopod, and binos to catch the sinking sun shining through the towering waves breaking below us from our cliff top perch.
I got a decent shoot with Marek's assistance. See our surf shots shots here:
http://www.pbase.com/jturley/comet_surf
Marek arrives a little after me to assist my photo shoot and comet chat up the attractive fauna. David arrived just before sunset. Dozens of drummers were rocking to some primitive 420 beat at the Dog Beach below us as the sun set and the 60's fragrance of blue smoke reached us above. This is Santa Cruz. David remarks what a perfect soundtrack we have for McNaught. We set up on the and watched an incredible trapezoidal sun set.
http://www.pbase.com/jturley/image/72805211
David had the finder charts, binos and his Ranger. Marek his Canon IS bino, myself by 100-400mm F/5.6L Canon zoom and 9x63 mini giants. Marek first spots Venus around 505. We scan and scan, pickup up the tempo of the drums below us. At around 530 Marek says "Ive got it" [natch]...David and I frantic. David spots it and a sea bird. My binos spot the soaring gull in the red sky, sailing though the Comet, diving toward the sea. For the next 1/2 hour, we watch it sink into the extinction layer, appearing, disappearing. A minor crowd surrounds us, What is That? David has it in his Ranger and we're able to share views. By 6PM, McNaught was naught. The drummers below continue to beat.
The Ranger catches Auriga OC's, M42, M45 to the South over the Wharf...to where, Marek and I head to for steaming bowls of Red Chowder and Pints of Pilsner Urquel.
There just couldn't have been a better afternoon spent anywhere, anytime, with good friends, Comets, monster glassy surf, great optics, and warm Chowder. Home by 9.
--
James Turley