Wave Whopper

Big swell in Kalapana. It was already getting dark when I decided to watch the waves pounding Black Sand Beach in Kaimu-Kalapana. These waves were twenty feet high. I was standing on the ledge fifteen feet above ocean level. It takes big waves to get there. It felt save to do that. After I had set up the tripod, I was adjusting the camera exposure - looking through the view finder. It all looked good and I started to roll. Next thing, I hear this "explosion" of a wave into the cliff. It is more prominent on the Kailua-Kona shore line with a certain swell direction. Waves can "explode" at the cliff up to 100 feet high. This one here was nothing like that, but it was too close for comfort and I repositioned, but the light would soon be insufficient.
Filmed with DSC-P200, 640x480, at Black Sand Beach, Kaimu-Kalapana, Puna, Big Island, Hawai'i, Hawaii