CROMER STORM AND TIDAL SURGE DECEMBER 2013
*Update – popular images that are selling well as charity prints are now available for direct ordering from my client area.
To make donations to the just launched EDP Norfolk Flood Appeal, please visit the following link.
One way or another, the 5/6th December 2013 will be remembered as a historic couple of days. With the international news understandably dominated by the passing of Nelson Mandela, much of the UK has been occupied with dealing with some of the most extreme weather of recent times.
I cautiously post some images of scenes of the second storm and tidal surge to hit Cromer within 24 wild hours, hoping that everyone is safe and well, that damage to property is not as severe as had been forecast and that we will see the great resorts along our coast quickly returned to working order. The clear up operation will of course take months, but it does appear that the measures put in place to protect the people have worked and that everyone observed this spectacle from a safe distance. An astonishing couple of days on the North Norfolk Coast and certainly events that warranted capturing on camera.
As you will see, the obvious casualties in Cromer appear to be sections of the sea wall and promenade and the beach huts which have been obliterated. Also featured below are 2 of the dancers from the Cromer Pier Pavillion Theatre who have seen their run of Christmas Shows postponed due to the damage to the Pier.
*Update* – I’ve just been made aware of a petition and fundraising efforts to save the Hemsby Coastline, a little further along the Norfolk Coastline and where, devastatingly, a number of homes have been lost. If you have time, please do support this incredibly worthwhile cause and visit their Facebook Page and website for details of how you can assist. As I find or am sent further fundraising links, I’ll add them to this page.
There is also a petition to help towards saving Hemsby’s coastline and it’s gathering momentum – please take a moment to sign this petition and make a small contribution towards helping the people of this area realise a safer future.
A reminder, while these scenes make for compelling photographs, many people have lost their homes and livelihoods as a result of the storms and tidal surges of the past few days. If you do have time and a little to donate, please support an incredibly worthy charity for the people of Hemsby, so badly affected by these recent storms and under constant threat of loss of their homes.
Finally, if you’ve appreciated being able to see these images, a brief visit and ‘Like’ of my Facebook Business Page under this link would be hugely appreciated and will help me to get my work seen by a larger audience. Thank you for visiting.
Capturing Moments, Creating Memories
Excellent article. I certainly appreciate
this site. Thanks!
Thank you.
Oh Andy. You were so brave to be so close to such an angry sea. They are amazing yet frightening pictures you have captured. My heart has spent many a year in Cromer and to see it so forlorn is very upsetting. They are such a team there I am sure they will pull through but it is nonetheless, shocking.
Hi Chris, don’t worry, I was a long way from any danger, the many marshals who were out made sure of that and did a great job keeping the crowds out of harms way. As for Cromer, while it took a huge pounding, it was back on its feet remarkably quickly with the pier re-opening within days and the promenade clear up completed not long afterwards. Of course, there is still much to do but it’s clear that the people of North Norfolk are extremely resilient and will soon put it behind them.
We scattered Grandad’s ashes from the end of the pier in September. He would have enjoyed the show. He loved a rough sea at Cromer. Beautiful pictures but very sad to see the destruction.
Hi Jayne – really sorry to hear about your dad. Like you say, if he loved Cromer, he’d have been sad to see the damage but no doubt been in awe of the force of nature. I have to say, the clean-up has been amazing and it’s incredible how quickly the pier was back operational. Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment.
omg,fab photos…i went to see it for myself on the night it happened.so sad for those who lost homes ect,so i would like to order a big print of the lampost,but in black and white..how big do u do them? many thanks..rosie prockter
Andy,
Your photographs are wonderful – except it’s so sad that the scenes are so devastating. I wish Cromer residents well in recovering from this.
Best regards,
Karen [writing from Canterbury, Kent]
Thank you Karen – I could not agree more.
I know longer live here but my heart goes out to all that do and wish you all well in these difficult times. However I know the people of Cromer will not let this storm and damage defeat them! I definitely know for sure that bythe summer Cromer will be the beautiful seaside town it has always been. Good luck with the clear up, god bless and Merry Christmas x
Hi Gemma – thank you for taking the time to look at the images and comment. I agree, I’m sure that Cromer will be back on its feet quickly and it’s hugely encouraging to read that the pier is again open only 5 days after these images were taken. An incredible effort. Once again, thank you for your kind comments.
amazing pictures such a shame what has happened to so many ppl’s businesses and properties x such a sad thing thoughts going out to all of them
Many thanks Carly. I could not agree more. Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment.
These are amazing photos ..mother nature
Thanks very much Caroline.
Outstanding photos, (Former photographer), two weeks ago i was fishing the pier, and weybourne, yikes how mother nature turns on u!, the shear damage and destructiveness of the waves and tide, eeeeek!
Thanks Richard. I think there were some fishermen rescued from Cromer Pier on Thursday evening!
Wow……. Our little holiday town has been put under such a large act off Mother Nature!!!!! Hopefully will be back to normal when we come in August! Thoughts go out to all those affected
I’m sure it will be Claire. An amazing few days. Thank you for visiting.
Great photos. It’s a shame to see the destruction of the seafront I remember from my childhood. Let’s hope the town or country council can rustle up the money, to reconstruct it.
Absolutely Jim – from what I hear, measures are already being put in place.
congratulations on capturing these great images of the tidal surge Cromer was there myself captured a couple of good shots but not in your caliber, again well done
Thanks very much Dale. It was quite a breathtaking spectacle. The story has attracted a lot of public interest which I hope will be converted into help for the people so terribly affected by the storm.
These are great photos. I thought the National Press coverage was a joke to be honest due to other events in the world taking precedence (whether you agree with that or not is another matter). So it’s even more important to capture these sorts of events on a local level. Well done.
Thank you very much Mark. I think the scale of the storms and damage on the East Coast is only now getting the attention that it needs and I guess images such as these help paint a fuller picture of the event for those not living close to the devastation. Thank you for taking the time to visit and comment.
East Anglia has been pretty fortunate with “extreme weather” events in the UK/(the world). The week after the UN Climate Change talks have again been stiffed by Big Corporations and Western powers. May we be reminded that it will take more than sea defence improvements to secure our safe tenure of these lands into this century. We’ve seen a 1C rise in temperature, headed for 4 to 6C.
Indeed John. Thank you for taking the time to visit and comment.
Incredible force of nature, amazing pictures , thanks for sharing
No problem, thank you Tracey.
Wow…some fab photos…my daughter too is GCSE Art and photography is a major part…she is truly amazed at what you have captured. Devastating…but nature is awesome and never fails to produce fantastic opportunities. Hope Cromer recovers well and what an amazing storybook you have captured!
Thanks Mandie. The weather certainly can make for memorable and spectacular imagery. With so many images captured by so many, the historical weather in North Norfolk last week has been well-documented for future generations to study. Good luck to your daughter in her studies.
Stunning image’s from begining to end. Cromer such a beautiful part of the North Norfolk coast, a favourite of everyone’s for some reason or another. Just goes to show we must never take mother nature in vain,she give’s and she takes away.
The people of Cromer will all pull together and it will be ship shape in no time at all(no pun intended) Thoughts to all who were affected by the storm surge.
Hi Vince, I could not agree more. I am sure that Cromer will be back on its feet very soon and looking better than ever. Thank you for visiting.
Amazing photos! Although sad to see the damage caused. We visit Cromer every summer and it’s so hard to imagine that normally docile sea can be so ferocious. You captured that it in your photos.
Thank you Jane. I know exactly what you mean, a very different place to the calm summer Cromer. I hope we can all enjoy some nice calm summer days back there very soon.
Absolutely amazing photography.
Thank you very much Sharon.
Amazing pictures!!
Thank you Linda.
Super pictures.well done
Thank you for visiting and commenting.
Great images, just goes to show how powerful and threatening the sea can be. My thoughts with anybody on and off the sea that have been affected.
Thank you Nick – an absolutely terrible couple of days for many at sea or living close to the East Coast shoreline.
Get the jobless to help clear and repair it.
It will stop them moaning that they have nothing to do.
Hi Sylvia, I guess that would be one group that could help out! Thanks for visiting and taking time to comment.
Great photos Andy, which put the local and mainstream media’s efforts to shame. The EDP’s gallery is a joke by comparison. I live up in Suffield Park area and the noise of the sea was quite incredible Thurs night.
Time for an “We Love Cromer” appeal.
Thank you Mark. I guess the EDP photographers were covering a much larger area and perhaps focussing on areas where people’s homes were lost or flooded – perhaps less dramatic but more devastating on a personal level. I completely agree about the need for a Cromer appeal and I’ll be sure to add links to my site as soon as I find some. Thank you for taking the time to look and comment.
wow its a wonder the Pier is still standing! Amazing photos. The thought kept running through my head the lifeboat station is at the end of the Pier how the hell would the crews have responded, could they have responded if needed with the seas like that?
Hi Sharon, I’m not certain but I would imagine that the lifeboat was removed from the station before the storms hit.
Fab set photographs, especially the black and white ones.
Many thanks Lisa.
Wow – what incredible photos. We live in Cambridgeshire and visit Cromer regularly as a family. My 8 year old daughter and I looked at these together and were both stunned – the images are beautiful but chilling, if that makes sense. Wishing the lovely folk of Cromer who have been affected by this all the very best.
Thank you Hayley. I know precisely what you mean. Of course it is not just Cromer either, whole swathes of the coastline have been affected. It will take a long time for the area affected to recover and I hope that these images will help highlight the plight of those affected. Do keep visiting Cromer though, I’m sure they will appreciate all the visitors that they can attract over the coming months.
Amazing photos, thank you for being there to capture them. The power of nature is truly awe inspiring.
Thank you Penny. Agreed, nature can be at once beautiful and terrifying.
These photos are so powerful, a dramatically beautiful record of the forces of nature, with the human effects poignantly caught all the way through. They deserve as wide an audience as possible. So glad you were there to capture it this. Our thoughts go out to all affected.
Thank you Caroline. There are many people affected of course and hopefully such images will help highlight their plight to others who might wish to help recover from the terrible damage.
Wow, that is some battering, to the good people of Cromer, best wishes and happier weather to come………..please!!
Agreed Ian – I sincerely hope the weather is kind for the remainder of the winter and that Cromer and the other local communities so badly affected have time to rebuild.
Wow. Awesome pics!
Thank you Mark.
Being six years old then, can remember the 1953 storm and floods thease photos bring back haunting memories holding on to my father in the very strong winds on East Runton cliff tops. I trust that the same flooding has not occured around Cley Blakeney & Salthouse. Eddie
Hi Eddie – I do believe there have been severe floods in the areas that you mention. I will try and get to some other locations over the coming days to capture the terrible aftermath and hopefully highlight the plight of those affected.
My daughter is taken GCSE photography and to A level next year so very interested in your photographs as she loves Cromer and wants to help re build it .
Gail, I’m glad your daughter was interested in the images. I’d be happy to share some for her very worthwhile cause.
Powerful pictures, beautifully shot. Thank you for sharing
No problem Kim – thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment.
Brilliant photographs, but poor cromer
Thank you Genna. Indeed, thoughts are with those who have lost so much and have so much work to clean up along the East Coast.
Unbelievable!!! The photos and how big those waves got!! The black and white wave shot is epic!!
Cheers Siobhan. The waves were significantly larger on the previous high tide from what I’m hearing. There are of course less images of this as it arrived during the night. Thanks for looking and commenting.
Thank you for the photos,I am from Norfolk,but live in NZ,so apreciate these,My thoughts are with you all back there
Hi Gail, thank you. My aim was to capture the events so that other might be able to understand the scale of this event in the UK and specifically on the East Coast. I love NZ, you live in a very special part of the world.
Sorry forgot to say – if your not using the images as a staff photographer maybe think about uploading to http://www.demotix.com the papers would love these
Thanks Barbara, I’ll do that.
Awesome images-well captured
Thank you Babs.
Amazing photography, I really like the B & W prints, they have so much more impact.
Thanks Sue – I agree, B&W for some reason does convey the drama very effectively. Thank you for visiting and taking time to comment.
Great photo’s of the Cromer. just ashame it’s a nightmare for is people. Love the waves photo
Hi Helly, thank you but agreed, a nightmare for many. The waves are incredible but also quite terrifying.
Any chance I can get a copy these photos? They are amazing!! 🙂
Hi Dee, thank you. By all means send me an e-mail and I will see what I can do. Thank you for looking and taking time to comment.
A friend sent me a link to tese pictures – I’ve just shared these on Facebook & Twitter (hope that’s ok).
They certainly capture the power of the sea, and helps to bring home to those of us a bit further in-land what the people of Cromer and the other seaside towns are having to deal with.
Thank you – perfectly happy for you to share. They were largely intended to document the event and, as you say, show others the extent of the storm and its impact on the North Norfolk Coast.
Superb photos.
With a lot of hard graft, and community spirit, Cromer will be rebuilt!! (We were lucky compared to other areas!!) 🙂
Thanks very much Jax – absolutely, I am sure the place will be looking better than ever before we get to the start of the tourist season.
Absolutely stunning photography!
Thank you Denise.
Wow! Amazing photos!
Cheers Steve.
Awesome……..you really captured the power of nature .
Thank you Geoff.
Mate, you were born to shoot photos. These are incredible. Congratulations. Thoughts will all those affected in any way.
Thank you Ange, very kind. Completely agree that our thoughts must be with those who have lost so much over the past 24 hours or so.
beautiful, I work on the pier and these images are stunning but so very sad
Thank you Tina. I do hope that the pier is not too badly damaged and that all those who rely on it for their livelihood can get back to normality as soon as possible. The pier is so important to a lot of people and it’s amazing seeing it standing up to such an incredible act of nature.
Amazing photography marking such a devastating night.
Thank you. A truly devastating event and thankfully a rare one. A timely reminder of our vulnerability but also our resilience and the improvements that we’ve made to warnings and safety over the years.
Incredible – awesome images that reflect the brutal forces of nature tinged with sadness and the reality of our frailty.
Thanks very much Rob – I guess there’s a very fine line with photography between capturing dramatic natural events and telling the story but without being mawkish. If I’d had longer, I’d certainly have liked to have captured more of the human angle.
Nooooooooooooooooo! The doughnut stand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My stop point when walking the dogs from W Runton!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fab pics Andy – well done for braving the cold!
Thanks Boo – I’m sure they’ll have the doughnuts back soon enough!