Tags
costa rica, Destructive Forces of Nature, Let's BE Wild Photo Challenge Explore, Playa San Miguel, Rip Tides
HIGH TIDES – Playa San Miguel, Costa Rica
The Let’s Be Wild photo challenge for this week is EXPLORATION.
Many of you might remember this view of classic Playa San MIguel, Costa Rica. Powerful waves and high tides hammered this stretch of coastline for several weeks a few years ago. I explored the beach each morning at sunrise to record the changes.
Waves thundered ashore then rolled back and crashed against new ones. Witnessing the power of the waves filled my mornings with wonder!
Everyy ten minutes or so, one large wave rolled beyond the highest areas of the beach.
The waves sucked the sand from beneath these benches!
Quite bipolar, the waves switched from calm to brava with little warning.
Dangerous Beauty
Going, going gone….
Riptides along this beach are quite dangerous, and people drown every year.
Place your bets.. Will these hold their ground against the waves?
As the destruction continued, the locals gathered at the end of each day to watch the waves. We shared a few amusing moments!
* Post Script: This image won the Let’s Be Wild Photo Challenge!!!
http://www.letsbewild.com/photo-challenge/
A sense of camaraderie settled around us as we witnessed the ocean’s power.
Ker-SPLASH! It got me!
How can the ocean be so powerful one day… and so picturesque another?
The ocean claimed these classic palms about a week after this image was taken.
From extremely high to extremely low, the tides have many moods.
Locals Inspecting Daily Changes: The ocean gobbles the sand then belches it back in new places.
Powerful forces often lurk beneath a peaceful facade. Deceiving at sunrise, the high tides at the estero were quite destructive as well.
Thanks for tagging along on an exploratory beach patrol. One can stay in the bed and slumber, or one can get outside and witness first hand the powerful beauty of nature!
Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
OMG what an AMAZING journey! Do you live in Costa Rica? I have never really wanted to go until I saw this post! Beautiful!
i lived in CR for ten years! i’ve been dividing my time between there and ecuador over the past five years.
thanks so much! z
No thank you I’m thinking about braving the heat!!!
i’ts much hotter in central america than in ecuador! that’s one reason i love ecuador more!
I would like to see it but I like mild climate! Fall and Spring weather for me! 🙂
Every time I push that “LIKE” button I wish it said, “LOVE”. I LOVE this post! And I especially love the way you see parallels between nature and life!
thank you so much! i know what you mean about wanting to say’love’ instead of like, or the ability to push that button many times! i’m glad you enjoyed the images and story!z
Love this, love the photos, wish I was there, but I feel like I am there through your eyes!
thanks! those were taken in costa rica. i’ll bet you have similar coastline on the pacific side near you!
z
Great photos Z! I hope that your Christmas was good!
si, christmas was unique.. the images are still in the camera, a painting is waiting to my left (i paint til the week hours each night as well as throughout the day)… and i hope in the next few days to have time to manage the photos. i’m so tired from painting that i don’t want to fatigue my eyes on more work with photos!
have a great finale of this year and a wonderful new year!
z
You too Z! Take some time off, kick your feet up and relax….Hugs chica! – B
ja/! soon, but not today! i have to go to town after lunch, so i’ll be playing catchup again!
Because of the nature of our coastline, shallow, even and gently receding, we rarely see such waves. Still, our waves function precisely as yours do – eating coastline, spitting it back elsewhere, and generally sneaking up on people when they’re not looking.
Your photos are beautiful. Too bad those lovely palms took a dive, but so it goes! And you’re absolutely right – even in less spectacular parts of the world there are things to see. Lying abed can be a luxury, but sometimes it just keeps us from seeing the world’s marvels!
when it was obvious the ocean was going to take the palms, the locals whacked off the palm and salvaged the heart. have you ever had fresh heart of palm? ah, it’s like candy! z
Feliz año 2013 Amiga mía… 😉
igualmente, my friend! your last post was a knockout! i’d love to hear the story behind those photos! z
Definitely need a “love” button..fantastic photos ! Made my hand itch to pick up a paint brush. We get similar high tides here in San Clemente..it will eventually wash away the road that the government wants to build here right on the beach. Mother Nature will strike back but by that time this fishing village will be no more.
that would be a shame to lose the quiet essence of that village. the same is happening where i live, and it’s like they’re shooting themselves in the foot! it’s the quiet essence that makes it special and unique.
i hope that it doesn’t happen, though work has started out here.:(
I love these pics so much I am re-blogging! When I produce my next video would you mind if I used the images? Jaz
hey amiga
i had trouble getting around on wordpress or replying to any comment yesterday. it’s working much better today. (shhhh, don’t wake the baby!)
thanks for reblogging, for sharing on facebook, and for your support! i look forward to seeing my images paired with your creative touch!
Nice! I was having a really hard time even just toggling around to everyone’s blogs yesterday. I was getting really irritated LOL. So, it wasn’t just you. I haven’t decided quite yet which video I am going to produce yet. I have all the music, some originals and some covers, but I will let you know when I get it finished. Thank you so very much! 🙂
your weekend is approaching, and i hope that all goes well, you stay well (!!!!!!!0 and that everyone has a blast! z
🙂 Still have a very tenacious cold, so alas I will have to stop and get some cough syrup today. My cough has been keeping me awake at night :(. It’s all good though. It can’t last forever 🙂
and it’s winter, so most of the alternative ‘teas’ aren’t easily found. ther tea from the guava leaves is amazing! stay well and try not to abuse that cough! ja! how does a singer dodge that one?!
You don’t LOL 🙂 It’s like trying to dodge a large dog that is determined to have you for lunch 🙂
Reblogged this on jazfagan and commented:
Awesome Pics from Zebra Designs!
Beautiful photographs….thank you for sharing Zeebra Designs & Destinations. And thank you Jaz Fagan, for guiding me to this blog. 😉
yes, thanks to dear jaz!
thank YOU as well!
z
Beautifully put together, Lisa. It is so captivating yet so scarey, the sea, isn’t it?
oh yes, the ocean often shows its wrath. i suppose if i’d been abused the way our species has abused her, i’d spit and spew at times as well!
z
Not the images we usually see from beaches. Hope everything is alright. No waves here, but we are waiting for a snowstorm.
si, it looks like a large area of the usa was hit with a snowstorm. brrrrrrrrrrr! i’ll be posting some images from different areas around the world of their weather. feel free to send one if you’d like me to include one from you, of course with credites/country/and link to you as well.
z
Great, great photos. You sure made the best of being there at an unusual time. It looks like the surf was pounding so hard that it created a thick mist, which looks so cool – and it’s nice to include the distant view, the close-up view, and the local reactions. Oh, those kids! They’re fun to watch, though sometimes nerve wracking.
the children enjoyed watching for those extra big rollers of waves, and they’d scream as they raced away. of course they loved getting splashed, and they loved when i got splashed!
thanks so much for your comments!
z
Z, these are truly amazing. You hit the nail on the head – how can the oceans do so much damage and then be so tranquil? Take care, BTG
si, just like our fellow man, we never know what’s lurking beneath that calm facade.
gracias, as always, for your comments!
z
How beautiful…they look like they are having lots of fun with the water. buen día Liza
yes, thought the young girls scared me – those waves were so powerful! z
Looks amazing!
Incredible adventure z ~ hope you were safe and could en JOY! The contrast is always fascinating to me … one moment tranquil the next wild! ~ Fantastic shots!!
xxoo love to you ~ Robyn
thank you, amiga! si, my camera probably is responsible for keeping me safe! at times it gets spray from the ocean or sand hurled from a nesting sea turtle, though i try to guard it from damage. it’s been a tough little burro that reminds me from time t o time that i’ve put it through some extreme tests!
i’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
z
These are enchanting photos. They remind me of a place I once knew.
i’m glad they took you back to a beautiful place in your past! thanks! z
I love the field trips you take us all on..
More beautiful pictures!!!
i am pleased to be of service! z
Beautiful photos!
thanks, dear! your countdown is here! enjoy the time with your families!
z
Dangerous beauty! No lie! As heavenly as the ocean can be, it does have a bit of the devil in it sometimes. But always fascinating. Great shots, z.
for sure, amiga.. mother ocean sometimes gets pms!
I agree with many of your other commenters Z, I really love this post. Beautiful photos showing the power of the sea.
thank you, amiga! i’ve been having trouble replying to comments for the past few days. let’s see if this works!
thanks again, for all of your comments! z
I hear you loud and clear! 🙂
You have captured the changing moods of the ocean marvelously! And the delight of the children as well 🙂
thank you! those children had so much fun at the end of each day! the air was electric with their energy!
z
CONGRATS on your winning with this, Lisa! Just great!
hey, thanks! i had not realized that, so thank you twice!!! that was a great experience to watch the angry ocean each day, and the young generation played a large part in the end-of-day watchathons!
i love the red wheel barrow, the green wall and the limbs/trees high up in those windows for this week’s challenge!
thanks again!
lisa
Another paradise!!! I would not mind get wet either…. Beautifully done Lisa!
thank you! i’m sure you wold have been right there knee deep, thigh deep, waist deep and cheering the little on to safety! z
I would, I would! Keep safe Lisa and keep posting interesting pics like these… We are all loving them…
Fabulous post and pics. Congrats on your win again. 🙂
What an amazing photo essay of nature at its wildest. I love how you have captured the spirit and joy of the locals “playing” with the ocean. That winning photo was so deserving of first place, congratulations.
thank you! the ocean has unique moods, and she can magically cast them over us as well. that particular day, she owned all of us!
Absolutely gorgeous photographs. The first two stole my old heart.
taking a few more minutes online before going to bed, i veered to your site, and wow, am i ever glad to see it! your use of color is amazing, and i love all of your posts!
i look forward to seeing more!
thank you as well for spending time on my posts as well!
Lisa, Here is the video I just produced with your images. I hope you like it! Thank you for letting me use your pics! They ROCK!
hey
i’m going there now! thanks! z
Congratulations on your brilliant winning shot.
Also loved watching the video above 🙂