Gallery release: ‘Bombora’
‘Bombora’ (Dharug origin): a wave which forms over a submerged offshore reef or rock, sometimes breaking heavily and producing a dangerous stretch of broken water.
In early May of this year, much of the eastern Australian coastline was hit by a colossal autumn swell. Surf breaks were forming all over NSW that hadn’t been seen in years; others were reaching heights that were the largest in many people’s living memories. Having seen this forecast over a week out, I ventured to the cliffs of Voodoo Point in Kamay Botany Bay National Park in the early morning darkness hoping to photograph the rare phenomenon. Upon my arrival in the car park, I knew I was going to be capturing something special.
Waves the size of houses lurched up from the ocean and pounded into the rippling sandstone cliffs, sending salt water spraying high into the air and water running over the ground. The sight alone was enough to make one’s heart race with pure adrenaline - not just out of excitement for the photographic opportunities, but for the experience of being so close to such stupendous liquid mountains of pure energy. Not long later the sun broke the horizon and began to illuminate the huge swell with gorgeous golden light. The constant crash and roar of the waves, whipping wind, beautiful conditions and salty spray were a total sensory overload. There have been very few times in my life where I’ve felt such an overdrive; the sensation sent me into a hyper-focused state of flow for close to three hours.
Two 64gb cards and one postponed appointment later, I pulled myself away with both clothes and camera soaked in salty water, and a grin on my face that lasted many hours into the rest of the day.
