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This blowhole on the north shore of Kauai, 20 feet above the level of the sea, was created by large waves pounding the lava. During high tide and large surf, water explodes out of the hole and then it implodes into the hole often creating a sucking sound. On the photo I took just before this one, a wave had crashed above the top of the frame on the left, completely obscuring the sky. That is when the entire lava shelf shakes from the pounding!
One time, I had to hold onto a rock with one hand with the tripod in the other in order to not get sucked into the hole. I was a little nervous, as my back was up against a cliff. And in order to have this fun, I had to hike for an hour on a slippery and muddy trail at 3am with a flashlight. It was a great vacation!
I did intensely study the ocean for a good 30 minutes before I attempted this. Rougue waves hit about once every 10 minutes.
Next upload, 7 waterfalls in one shot!
1/2 second exposure @F14 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6 + 1 plastic bag over the camera to block the sea water and spray until exposure time.
| Title: | Maelstrom #2 |
| Username: | 
PatrickSmith |
| Uploaded: | 4 Dec 2006 - 3:16 PM |
| Camera: | Canon EOS 5D |
| Lens: | Canon 17-40L @19 |
| Recording media: | RAW ISO 50 |
| Tags: | General, Kauai, Landscape / travel |
| Votes: | 201 |
Comments
Incredible image and an incredible vacation-- as a risk taker, you rank right up there with your images-- Top Drawer
100% perfect!
Jennnnn
what a stunning shot, expertly taken too, just love the shutter speed used here. Another cracker, glad I got here first before the other hundred or so comments that are aboout to come. A pleasure to view and to click.
CLIX
Superb detail Patrick. You can really appreciate the power of nature in this shot.
Top marks again for effort!!
Mike
Stunning.. Your Portflio is one of the best I have seen. A pleasure to look through, only sorry I did not find it before..
Wow what a unique location. Wonderfully taken. Great, but scary story.
matt
So that's the key to an excellent image - 3:00am with a flashlight....I suppose sunsets will be for me!
This is one of your better images IMHO, Patrick. I've been to the blow holes and I can testify this image is amazing!!
Regards,
Jan
Excellent work... the story with it is so good that Trev has just read it too....
Jeanie
impressive photography patrick, excellent detail and strong water movement, nicely captured.
marc.
Thanks for looking!
Yes, Jennnnnn, it was risky but I watch things very closely for that 0.0001% extreme event. And I plan escape routes ahead of time! I wanted one looking right down into it but decided against it...
Yes Tony, I experiment with other exposure times, but this seemed right for this water flow speed. I have other versions with more and less water, this is average and shows detail and water movement about equally.
Yes Jan, blow holes are nothing to play around with. I was very careful. It was awesome!
LOL Jouko, that is what you would have said if you had seen this in person.
Jeanie, if you guys want to go someday, I'll point you to all the good spots.
Patrick
Incredible, amazing and interesting shot. Enjoyed reading your description.
Dot
I am cracking up at your description, P......That is a wicked shot for sure!
In reference to the time and trouble you experienced taking this photograph, your finished product really shows how much it was worth taking that 3 a.m. hike through the mud and muck...
Excellent detail in this image.....A+
Cheers and have a Fab Monday....Suzan
PS: Although......A shot of you holding on for dear life, with the Gigantic Sucking Hole about to swallow you up, would have been priceless...LOL!!
What an immense shot, in every sense of the word. Suffering for your art paid off, as this is simply awe-inspiring in terms of colour, light, composition and the sheer power of nature.
Allie
Rather you than me Patrick, next time you're going let me know and I will send you a CF Card so you can take the shots I would have taken [had I been brave/foolish - delete as appropriate - enough ;-D]
Stunning capture, and worth the risk [to you that is ;-p].
Paul
Well worth the effort, great to see you are still turning out the stunning images
Mo
Amazing photograph, superb use of light the exposure is great.
Brad.
That's why you take these incredible photos, no risklimit.
Peter
You do live the glamourous high life Patrick!!
Glad to hear that you try to minimise the risk to life and soul before pressing the shutter!
Lots of lovely detail to look at in here.
Martin
lol.....That´s, what came in my mind FIRST, when I saw this AWESOME shot....
All the rest been said already.......
LOL.......You and your wonderful tales...
Jouko
a very apt description, a very atmospheric image just bursting with energy
Hi Patrick, what a truly stunning shot. Sounds like you were a tad lucky not to get a soaking.
Your main site's pretty good stuff mate.
john
Thanks for looking!
LOL Suzan, believe me you do not want to see me getting hit by the wave.... or what I said right afterwards... fortunatelly there is never anybody around at this spot.
Sure Paul, send over your CF card!
Hey Mo, what has been going on. Long time no read!
Watch that trigger finger Lil_Shorty. EPZ is very sensitive.
Well Peter, I do have my limits, but people who watch me do haev commentes about my sanity, but I rarely take serious risks. it just looks like it. I study things very closely before I do anything.
I wish I did Martin!
Jouko, the next one will be a much safer shot but has 7 waterfalls in it!
John, I did get soaked above my waist. I wore only water shoes and swim trunks.
Patrick
. . incredible picture and a scary location . . a wonderful sky and great light and details as always . . .
. . .you should get a bravery award if not a photgraphic one!
Mike.W
it sounds really hair raising, I don't know that I'd have the nerve, not even to get a great shot like this, looks beautiful in large,
Chris.
Pat,
Your draining the world,cap that hole!!!
Very nice shot,love the blues in the water.
Patrick(Indiana Jones)Smith you are now to be known.Fantastic composition and I admire your perseverance when others including me probably would have long since gone.
Great stuff and deserving of all attention imaginable.
Fabulous cloudscape bg. to this wonderful shot depicting the power of the sea.
John
Thats some geology you've got there Patrick, and great camera work to go with it.
Dave
An incredible image, amazing detail and capture of water movement
What an amazing site and beautifully captured.
Derek
Fasinating stuff! never seen anything like this before, thanks for sharing!
Nick
Wow - what an incredible scene of nature. Congratulations on capturing it so well.
Not many adjectives left for me Patrick, I could use expletives but I'll just settle with an exclamation, Wow!, Adrian
Stunning Patrick, a really brilliant scene, beautifully presented.
Trish x
Another amazing captured Patrick, beautifully shot with a fantastic sky as a backdrop.
Stunning is used so often these days, but this image and you yourself deserve the use of the word. This would be on my wall before you could say Epson.
I don't recall a better image which sums up the sea, the colours, tones and detail are all equally astonishing, Patrick you are a very brave man, which we have known for some time by the "daring do" that you put in to produce your work.
Excellent my friend, my mouth is agape awaiting the next image.
All the very best
Dougie
Thanks for your comments!
Yes Mike.W, what was even worse is that the cliffs were wet 20 feet above me! But I waited a half hour and nothing came close, so I took a chance and kept one eye on the sea at all times!
LOL SlaterM, the plug got washed out to sea I think.
Kim, it did look like the water was draining to the center of the Earth, as I didn't see it reenter the sea. It just disappears!
Tom (toffee), Indiana Jones might be pushing it a bit but it was definitely an adventure trying to find this spot and get to it in one peice. And then get out alive with the prize!
LOL Jouko...Who??
Yes Dave, the geology is incredible. It is an empty lava tube that used to flow to sea, now the water goes back in. Once the lava stopped flowing, it left an empty passage.
LOL Adrian. I used a few explatives while I was there so no problem!
Wow Dougie, thanks.. Then next one is completely the opposite of this one. We'll see what you think.
Patrick
stunning shot and capture Patrick,ive never seen anything like it before,
samantha
Fantastic shot, Patrick, the best shots are always the ones that are the hardest to get :0}
Mari
I'm amazed once again, Patrick, with your tales of derring-do! Wonderful story and an even better image to accompany it.
Well done, sir!
Colin
What stunning scenery patrick,..,you just be careful Dangerman!!!
janet
What an amazing location Patrick. There is so much going on in the water. Fantastic shot.
PS: Whereas I previously thought you were mad, I am now convinced on that score.
Nigel
Hi Patrick. I'm pleased this image is so good given the effort you went to get it. Fabulous detail as always. Nick
An amazing capture Patrick, you certainly make the most of all opportunities
Mike
Spotted this on your website last night while having a browse. It does not diminish seeing it a second time! Wonderful exposure, and maybe a bit mad - that's you not the shot! 
And I thought taking shots of animals was dangerous, I feel so much safer now! If anything your story is convincing me to stick with animals!
Its a gorgeous shot and if the view in the photo is 1/10th of what you got to experince, the adventure must have been breath taking, excellent shot! Spot on! Click!!!
Greg
Wow! What an image,wonderful lighting and great composition,fantastic mood and beautifully presented love your work.
Mo.
I think your competition is awaiting that one false step. Great series, look forward to the rest.
Verne
A superb shot and well worth the effort you had to put into the capture.
Rock
Thanks for looking!
Sometimes that it true Mari, and sometimes you come back with nothing. Lucky me on this one!
Nigel, many agree with you!
Greg, it is like a living literally beathing thing. Sometimes the smaller waves produce bigger results. It is difficult to predict sometimes.
Martin (Irishman) I'm honoured.
LOL Verne, we'll see!
Patrick
Patrick that is an amazing image well worth the effort you put into capturing it.
Kate
A truly stunning image which needs to be seen large to really be appreciated.
You make me so nervous reading your disciption Patrick...I hope you have life insurance! :-p
Fantastic shot dispite the danger,but I hope I never read about your dissapearance down some obscure crevis :-$
Keep safe and well x
All your efforts were certainly worth it. A magnificent image. Bruce
Fine image Patrick, interesting recount of what lies behind the take. Great work on both counts.
Joe
Your certainly adventurous Pat, i'll give you that...lol
You have the exposure good for the water pouring down the hole and i like the light shining off the foreground mud, as always it is much better large.
my goodness you were brave, tones and lighting are excellent, cracker
chris
Thanks for your comments!
No Malcolm, they were both over the sky. The lava is very black so I needed all I could get.
Thanks Angie! I'll try to stay out of the crevasses. Life insurance... hmm... that reminds me. Actually I watch things very closely and I always have an escape route.
True Terry. And this is jet black lava. It tears your skin like razor blades. But I did try to get that bit of light right in front. I fiddled around until I had that in there.
Patrick
Amazing to read about the blowhole, and all the effort that went into getting this fantastic image.
Beautiful capture of the water and the sky looks gorgeous.....
Ali
Nice when all the elments are there waiting for you Patrick!!
Dave
that looks pretty cool Patrick, looks very dangerous though. BE CAREFUL!!
Worth the risk imo - a beauty. You always have fascinating descriptions to go with your stunning work Patrick.
Cheers.
Mark.
Jawdroppingingly gorgeous!!!Take care.Ann
You be careful doing these,they are amazing landscapes but be so careful,you and the cameras.
Thanks for your comments!
I'll try to be careful. Actually I take a lot of precautions, as I know what the ocean can do. And it is usually much more than it seems at the time!
Patrick
wow what a place!! I will be in West USA in Feb, hopefully with some sun and snow
Incredible location and I have never seen a hole like that. I'm glad to hear you survived and didn't get sucked in =) Very creative shot and the quality is as great as always. Thanks again for the comment on my "Did I dream...?" shot I appreciate it and coming from such a great landscape photographer as you are I'm very happy to hear you find it intresting.
denka
Amazing photography Patrick. Your description is gripping stuff. Great work.
Rg Tony
super picture, love the exposure on the water, especially in the foreground.
Jonny
Howdi Patrick.
Wow, What a story. Great adventure you had down there. Thanks for the info about it.
The picture i had to study, hard to believe the water flows in the hole and goes back to the sea. Really superb.
Take care, Ciao.
Jan
I appreciated your description almost as much as the picture my congratulations Patrick for yet another incredible image!
Sez
Now that is dedication, Patrick! Definitely a contender for The Official EPZ Bravery Award! And a most impressive capture as a result too - well done ...
Susie :o)
Amazing Patrick. Until I read your description my brain could not work out what was going on!
I said on one of my images (funnily enough referring when I also nearly got washed away) - photography just isn't fun unless you are doing something mind-bendingly stupid, and you have eloquently proved the point! (and managed to survive I notice)
Mattw
Mattw
Hi Patrick, back again.
Love this image, well worth the hike if you ask me! great feeling of depth here, all due to the composition, spot on!
ben
Thanks for your comments!
Yes Jan, it comes up through the hole and it also comes in over the lava wall and spreads over this entire shelf. I have shots where you can't see anything but the hole. And barely that.
Matt, when I first arrived it took a wile to figure out what was going on. Then I tried to capture it when it made the most sense!
Yes Ben, it was worth it and I agree!
Thanks Miss Scarlett!
Patrick
Another wonderful capture Patrick!
Great work as always
click
regards
chelseak
Wow this is fantastic! It looks almost unreal. I'd be scared to get too close to that thing.
A stunning quality image.I just love the placement of the water gushing down.
~Alley~
The things we do to get the shot eh? still when they are as good as this its worth the risk and lack of sleep I reckon, Excellent work Patrick.
WOW!!! This is a brilliant capture, sounds rather risky though.
Pete.
Fantastic Image, the Earth is caving in on it's self.
Splendid photograph, Darren.
Great shot, excellent narrative and a lesson in going all out to get the shot.
Dan
WOW - it's been a while since I visited your PF, but man, you haven't changed!! Great descriptions and incredible shots!!
Good to see that you're still active - a lot more than I am!!
Cheers
Mike
I never realised that photography was an extreme sport until I joined this site
Fantastic shot Patrick, especially viewed large.
An exceptional image. Sounds too dangerous for me.
Brian.
Awsome wee shot Patrick!
Photography is such an easy and relaxing thing !!!
Scotty
Got to be worth a click for the description alone!
Seriously, this is a great image - just enough movement in the water, and the light is gorgeous.
Love it
Thanks for your comments!
Yes, Ben, it was quite intimidating but I wanted to get a view down into the hole!
True Mark (keelo5022), it was worth it.
Hey Mike, time to get out there for some winter scenery!
Grorgina (Dinda), it does seem to be a bit of an extreme sport, doens't it?
Yes it is Scotty!
Patrick
Very dynamic shot Patrick, like the golden reflections in the f.g.
MikeA.
Thanks Mike.
Phil, it is about 20 feet down to sea level and it probably goes down under the water level too. But I was too scared to look down inside! I would easily get sucked down.
Patrick
Your descriptions are as good to read as the images are to look at... It's all been said, just had to add my click though and say the following:
You nutter!
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