Video: Wave features never before captured on camera
Monster wave gives up its secrets
Huge wave filmed from beneath reveals features never before captured on camera.
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 May, 2009 : - - A huge wave has been filmed from beneath the surface, revealing features never before captured on camera. The remarkable video, which will be shown as part of the BBC Natural History Unit's new series South Pacific, was filmed in super slow motion using a high-definition camera.
It reveals the hidden power of a four-metre-tall monster barrel wave. It also shows the first images of underwater spiralling vortices created by the wave's action. The wave was filmed off the coast of Pohnpei in the Caroline Islands, part of the Federated State of Micronesia.
"I really wanted to slow the wave down, so it was like being there, immersed in that environment," says the BBC's Huw Cordey, series producer of South Pacific. "I wanted to capture the scale of the event." Doing so took special skills and equipment. Australian cameraman Bali Strickland, filmed the wave using a £66,000 ($100,000) high-speed camera that captures the action at 20 times slower than normal speed, and in high definition.
The kit required a special housing unit designed and built by German specialist high-speed cameraman and technician Rudi Diesel. Until this film, no one had ever tried using this type of camera underwater before. It opens up this huge insight into the birth of a wave. The spectacular results show the wave barrel closing over big wave surfer Dylan Longbottom.
Clearly visible are long underwater vortices created by the moving wave, a feature the BBC team believes has never before been caught on camera. "So much is revealed by slow motion," says Mr Cordey. "We saw these vortices on one shot, which I don't think anyone has noticed before. It opens up this huge insight into the birth of a wave."
The vortices only appeared once, despite the team filming more than 10 waves, he added. "Maybe it's when the wave gets to a certain height or size. It wasn't a scientific experiment, so its difficult to judge. But its interesting we only saw it the one time."
The clip will be broadcast as part of the first programme of the six-part landmark series.
If you see a good surfing wave, just shoot a free panorama or a 360 to share it with other surfers. It is easy and fun with pixeet and its fisheye lens.
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