Once or twice a year we get perfect conditions for shooting spectacular waves exploding off Kalk Bay harbour wall – generally this would be a strong to gale force south-easterly blowing the swell into the harbour walls, accompanied by a large swell (which normally only comes with the north-westerly).

I have been seeing other people’s photos for years, but this is the first time I gave it a go. I had no idea how much my equipment and I would be buffetted in the wind, nor how far the spray would travel to find and coat is in its oxidising veneer. Not the best situation to be changing lenses!