2. Severn Bore

Severn Bore

The Severn Bore is a truly unique natural wonder of the western world. It is a large surge wave that runs into the River Severn estuary, where the tidal range is the 2nd highest in the world. The estuary and natural topography of the river converge the water into the narrowing stretch as it moves inland and as the tide rises. The tide-wave is slowed by the river bed and constricting nature of the estuary. 12 hours of flood tide is compressed to just over an hour whereby the rising tide becomes unstable and a bore forms at the leading edge thus forming the large wave.

Capturing the Severn Bore has been extremely challenging. I have used many a craft in order to capture the heart and soul of the great wave as it snakes inland on its epic journey. Car, boat and microlight have all been tools in my constant quest to capture the best of this natural phenomenon.

Severn Bore aerial shoot

What an adventure. A photo shoot of the Severn Bore from a microlight. A real early start in the freezing cold. Reached the bore the lower part of river and conditions were fantastic (clear with no wind) albeit freezing. Something like -20 with wind chill up at 500ft! Got about 40 mins of real good footage and then the mist rolled in and we had to make an emergency landing in a field in Newnham.

This gallery is a pick of the best. Real tough shooting conditions as my hands were frozen solid after 5 mins. All shot with the amazing Olympus E3 and 50-200mm SWD + 12-60mm SWD.
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  • High tides in the Severn estuary occur early morning or late evening. Most viewable bores are early morning affairs. When weather permits I ensure an early arrival on the banks of the river Severn. This enables me to capture wonderful sunrise images such as this. The river's standing water levels are never the same and the wakening sun rays piercing across the Cotswolds brings the mudflats to life. It is wonderful place to see the sun rise and really sets the scene for the arrival of the bore. Olympus E1, 14-54mm, F16, 1/2s

    High tides in the Severn estuary occur early morning or late evening. Most viewable bores are early morning affairs. When weather permits I ensure an early arrival on the banks of the river Severn. This enables me to capture wonderful sunrise images such as this. The river's standing water levels are never the same and the wakening sun rays piercing across the Cotswolds brings the mudflats to life. It is wonderful place to see the sun rise and really sets the scene for the arrival of the bore. Olympus E1, 14-54mm, F16, 1/2s

  • Following on with the sunrise theme this is another spot where the rise looks majestic first thing. I positioned myself in order to get the sun between the pylons and which subsequently threw all the light over the the river before the flood tide. Olympus E1, 14-54mm , F22, 1/6s

    Following on with the sunrise theme this is another spot where the rise looks majestic first thing. I positioned myself in order to get the sun between the pylons and which subsequently threw all the light over the the river before the flood tide. Olympus E1, 14-54mm , F22, 1/6s

  • Once on the river, surfers arrive from all directions,make their way across the muddy flats towards the low lying water and wait. These moments offer great photo opportunities. Reflections and muddy trails of feet and boards dragging across the water bring strong compositions. One can feel the tension and anticipation from their movements through the barrel of the zoom lens. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F7.1, 1/800s.

    Once on the river, surfers arrive from all directions,make their way across the muddy flats towards the low lying water and wait. These moments offer great photo opportunities. Reflections and muddy trails of feet and boards dragging across the water bring strong compositions. One can feel the tension and anticipation from their movements through the barrel of the zoom lens. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F7.1, 1/800s.

  • The next sequence of images portray numerous surfers as they make they way out over the mud flats to the water before arrival of the bore. This is a magical time in the morning when the sun is low in the sky (if I'm lucky) and light levels are perfect for capturing mood and atmosphere. I think this guy is known as Bendy and the colours in his board reflected perfectly on the shallow waters. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F5.6, 1/800s.

    The next sequence of images portray numerous surfers as they make they way out over the mud flats to the water before arrival of the bore. This is a magical time in the morning when the sun is low in the sky (if I'm lucky) and light levels are perfect for capturing mood and atmosphere. I think this guy is known as Bendy and the colours in his board reflected perfectly on the shallow waters. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F5.6, 1/800s.

  • I was really pleased with this image since the low level sunlight was head on. The guys had just finished crossing the muddy road and were wading into position. They need those wetsuits too. Don't forget its winter and air temps are not much above freezing. The water was probably warmer than the air! Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F7.1, 1/800s.

    I was really pleased with this image since the low level sunlight was head on. The guys had just finished crossing the muddy road and were wading into position. They need those wetsuits too. Don't forget its winter and air temps are not much above freezing. The water was probably warmer than the air! Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F7.1, 1/800s.

  • The lighting was spot on as these two guys walked out. Both dragging their boards leaving some great trails. The water was like glass and mirror imaged them perfectly. Once again , the gestures get you thinking. "I reckon 5 mins, how about you?" Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/250s.

    The lighting was spot on as these two guys walked out. Both dragging their boards leaving some great trails. The water was like glass and mirror imaged them perfectly. Once again , the gestures get you thinking. "I reckon 5 mins, how about you?" Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/250s.

  • Once on the river, surfers arrive from all directions,make their way across the muddy flats towards the low lying water and wait. These moments offer great photo opportunities. Reflections and muddy trails of feet and boards dragging across the water bring strong compositions. One can feel the tension and anticipation from their movements through the barrel of the zoom lens. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/2000s.

    Once on the river, surfers arrive from all directions,make their way across the muddy flats towards the low lying water and wait. These moments offer great photo opportunities. Reflections and muddy trails of feet and boards dragging across the water bring strong compositions. One can feel the tension and anticipation from their movements through the barrel of the zoom lens. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/2000s.

  • Once on the river, surfers arrive from all directions,make their way across the muddy flats towards the low lying water and wait. These moments offer great photo opportunities. Reflections and muddy trails of feet and boards dragging across the water bring strong compositions. One can feel the tension and anticipation from their movements through the barrel of the zoom lens. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F10, 1/400s

    Once on the river, surfers arrive from all directions,make their way across the muddy flats towards the low lying water and wait. These moments offer great photo opportunities. Reflections and muddy trails of feet and boards dragging across the water bring strong compositions. One can feel the tension and anticipation from their movements through the barrel of the zoom lens. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F10, 1/400s

  • One of the advantages of witnessing the bore on a boat is the ability to get very close to the wave and capture unique angles. There was a price to pay mind. In order to get behind and ahead of the bore requires some pretty risky boat handling in order to ride over, and in some cases under the wave. Needless to say my camera gear and I got drenched on many occasions. This shot is ahead of the wave and is the tallest breaker I have ever seen the bore produce. I only wished there was surfer riding here in order to give scale. It must have been 7ft tall at this point, on a 4* intensity. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/100s

    One of the advantages of witnessing the bore on a boat is the ability to get very close to the wave and capture unique angles. There was a price to pay mind. In order to get behind and ahead of the bore requires some pretty risky boat handling in order to ride over, and in some cases under the wave. Needless to say my camera gear and I got drenched on many occasions. This shot is ahead of the wave and is the tallest breaker I have ever seen the bore produce. I only wished there was surfer riding here in order to give scale. It must have been 7ft tall at this point, on a 4* intensity. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/100s

  • This is a great shot of the Severn Bore wizard, Steve King. I shadowed Steve on one particular tide and captured lots of great images, encapsulating his masterful symbiotic relationship with the bore. The wave twists and turns so much during its travels down the river and it was nice to get a sharp linear break with surfer looking down its spine. Also of note is the swell underneath the breaking wave. This was at least the same height of the surf. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/80s

    This is a great shot of the Severn Bore wizard, Steve King. I shadowed Steve on one particular tide and captured lots of great images, encapsulating his masterful symbiotic relationship with the bore. The wave twists and turns so much during its travels down the river and it was nice to get a sharp linear break with surfer looking down its spine. Also of note is the swell underneath the breaking wave. This was at least the same height of the surf. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/80s

  • One of the advantages of witnessing the bore on a boat is the ability to get very close to the wave and capture unique angles. There was a price to pay mind. In order to get behind and ahead of the bore requires some pretty risky boat handling in order to ride over, and in some cases under the wave. Needless to say my camera gear and I got drenched on many occasions. This shot comes from behind the leading wave (in fact at this location there was a succession of many waves) and I was fortunate to get a surfer wandering towards me preparing to ride. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/125s.

    One of the advantages of witnessing the bore on a boat is the ability to get very close to the wave and capture unique angles. There was a price to pay mind. In order to get behind and ahead of the bore requires some pretty risky boat handling in order to ride over, and in some cases under the wave. Needless to say my camera gear and I got drenched on many occasions. This shot comes from behind the leading wave (in fact at this location there was a succession of many waves) and I was fortunate to get a surfer wandering towards me preparing to ride. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/125s.

  • A couple of group surfer shots. Standard bore surfing attire is available in many colours these days....black or black!. I'd love to capture an image with a group of surfers, similar to this, with one wearing a bright red wetsuit. What a shot that would make, a real 'Schindlers List' moment. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/125s.

    A couple of group surfer shots. Standard bore surfing attire is available in many colours these days....black or black!. I'd love to capture an image with a group of surfers, similar to this, with one wearing a bright red wetsuit. What a shot that would make, a real 'Schindlers List' moment. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/125s.

  • I think the energy that oozes from this shot is wonderful. I was right on top of the wave as I fired across its length. Sabrina was alive, and I could hear her breathing. Shots like this justify all the efforts of utilising the boat. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/100s.

    I think the energy that oozes from this shot is wonderful. I was right on top of the wave as I fired across its length. Sabrina was alive, and I could hear her breathing. Shots like this justify all the efforts of utilising the boat. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/100s.

  • There are some locations on the river where the bore is interrupted and clear of river traffic. There is a sense of victory of having shaken off its entourage of paparazzi combined with a gracefulness of its power. It is spots like this where the natural essence of the bore is a privilege to witness. Alone with Nature. Olympus E1, 50-200mm, F5.6, 1/640s.

    There are some locations on the river where the bore is interrupted and clear of river traffic. There is a sense of victory of having shaken off its entourage of paparazzi combined with a gracefulness of its power. It is spots like this where the natural essence of the bore is a privilege to witness. Alone with Nature. Olympus E1, 50-200mm, F5.6, 1/640s.

  • I managed to get one clear shot of all three of these guys as the bore surged down this section. There was a slight curve in the wave which just staggered their alignment. Luckily the boat was also in the right place. Again I was shooting right into the sun, which lit up the exploding wave break beautifully. I desaturated the image in order to apply a bit more drama, which worked out nicely. The wave here was really pushing with some force and probably moving nearer 15mph. Not a place to fall off. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/320s.

    I managed to get one clear shot of all three of these guys as the bore surged down this section. There was a slight curve in the wave which just staggered their alignment. Luckily the boat was also in the right place. Again I was shooting right into the sun, which lit up the exploding wave break beautifully. I desaturated the image in order to apply a bit more drama, which worked out nicely. The wave here was really pushing with some force and probably moving nearer 15mph. Not a place to fall off. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/320s.

  • Whilst riding on the boat, pursuing the bore, there was one particular section on the river which amazed me. It was also the most difficult to retain balance and use the camera. The single wave bore morphed into on a multi-rippled series of huge swells. A signature of the constantly changing river bed terrain and lie of the land. Each swell was huge and held their own, constantly breaking and thus proving a real bumpy ride. Looking down the barrel of the gun as we ploughed through the swells made for some great photos. This one being the pick of the crop. It allows you to get inside the bore and feel its presence. A wonderful image. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F6.3, 1/160s

    Whilst riding on the boat, pursuing the bore, there was one particular section on the river which amazed me. It was also the most difficult to retain balance and use the camera. The single wave bore morphed into on a multi-rippled series of huge swells. A signature of the constantly changing river bed terrain and lie of the land. Each swell was huge and held their own, constantly breaking and thus proving a real bumpy ride. Looking down the barrel of the gun as we ploughed through the swells made for some great photos. This one being the pick of the crop. It allows you to get inside the bore and feel its presence. A wonderful image. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F6.3, 1/160s

  • Nice shot of the bore, captured from a boat. Experiencing the bore at the heart of the action is breathtaking. I enlisted the help of Severn Bore legend Steve King during one very cold morning and rode the entire length of the wave. To experience the constantly changing shape, rolls and features of the wave, from the water, was a real eye opener. This is one of my favourite bore shots spanning the full expanse of the river. It shows the intricacies of the river topography causing the wave to curve from one bank to another. Olympus E1, 50-200mm, F7.1, 1/100s

    Nice shot of the bore, captured from a boat. Experiencing the bore at the heart of the action is breathtaking. I enlisted the help of Severn Bore legend Steve King during one very cold morning and rode the entire length of the wave. To experience the constantly changing shape, rolls and features of the wave, from the water, was a real eye opener. This is one of my favourite bore shots spanning the full expanse of the river. It shows the intricacies of the river topography causing the wave to curve from one bank to another. Olympus E1, 50-200mm, F7.1, 1/100s

  • A belter of a double page spread. Up close and personal. Pure bore, pure magic. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F8, 1/500s.

    A belter of a double page spread. Up close and personal. Pure bore, pure magic. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F8, 1/500s.

  • Spectators are a common sight on days when a sizeable bore is forecast. Minsterworth church is a popular spot with locals and visitors and unless you get onto the banks early it can be difficult to get a good viewing position. The river here is much narrower, only 40m wide which helps generate some great waves. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/125s.

    Spectators are a common sight on days when a sizeable bore is forecast. Minsterworth church is a popular spot with locals and visitors and unless you get onto the banks early it can be difficult to get a good viewing position. The river here is much narrower, only 40m wide which helps generate some great waves. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/125s.

  • One can see the relief and satisfaction from this guy's face and movements as he successfully negotiated the previous section. He even got a round of applause from a few watching. I was so pleased when I downloaded this sequence on my laptop. Top drawer stuff. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/250s.

    One can see the relief and satisfaction from this guy's face and movements as he successfully negotiated the previous section. He even got a round of applause from a few watching. I was so pleased when I downloaded this sequence on my laptop. Top drawer stuff. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/250s.

  • Quite easily the most dramatic Severn Bore photo I have captured. I like to position myself on the opposite side to all the crowds for two reasons. It is quieter, easier to get a good spot and possible to get a full frontal of the wave and rider. I watched these two guys pick up the wave when it formed and ride it until one of them got caught too close on the bank. He got slammed into the rocks and his board went flying, as you can see. I also love the crowd reaction behind, lapping it all up with cameras clicking away. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/250s.

    Quite easily the most dramatic Severn Bore photo I have captured. I like to position myself on the opposite side to all the crowds for two reasons. It is quieter, easier to get a good spot and possible to get a full frontal of the wave and rider. I watched these two guys pick up the wave when it formed and ride it until one of them got caught too close on the bank. He got slammed into the rocks and his board went flying, as you can see. I also love the crowd reaction behind, lapping it all up with cameras clicking away. Olympus E1, 90-250mm, F13, 1/250s.

  • Severn Bore from the sky

    Severn Bore from the sky

    The stunning Severn Bore from above in a microlite. In 2007 I experienced the Severn Bore from a vantage point like no other, the sky. I persuaded a microlight pilot to take me up in the air to follow the tidal bore. I had never been in a microlight before. When I arrived at the airfield in Gloucester the microlight reminded me of 'Little Nellie' from the James Bond film 'You Only Live Twice'. We accelerated over a bumpy field and then all of a sudden we swept upwards, turning at the same time. All too quickly houses turned into tiny boxes and roads turned into lines. The view was amazing. The Severn river became the dominant feature from the sky, snaking around the numerous towns before disappearing into the horizon towards the Severn Bridge. It may have been a pleasant 14C on the ground but 500ft in the air it was near freezing! A few minutes later I had a sighting of the bore. It barely appeared as a ripple at this height but I immediately sprung the camera into action. Over the course of the next hour and a half I got some spectacular footage. I was amazed at how much the bore changes in appearance through the differing sections of the river. At times we were struggling to see the leading edge, no more than a ripple. Then out of nowhere a huge breaking wave would appear and rip all in its path. My hands were frozen solid after about 15 mins into the flight. There were also a few 'white knuckle' moments as we twisted, turned and dived in one manoeuvre. I was close to chucking on more than one occasion. I eventually landed and I was visibly shaking such was the adrenalin running through me. It was an unbelievable shoot, the toughest I have ever undertaken in very testing conditions for a camera (Olympus E1, 90-250mm lens). The aerial images over the next few pages made most of the National newspapers the next day.

  • In 2007 I experienced the Severn Bore from a vantage point like no other, the sky. I persuaded a microlight pilot to take me up in the air to follow the tidal bore. I had never been in a microlight before. When I arrived at the airfield in Gloucester the microlight reminded me of 'Little Nellie' from the James Bond film 'You Only Live Twice'. We accelerated over a bumpy field and then all of a sudden we swept upwards, turning at the same time. All too quickly houses turned into tiny boxes and roads turned into lines. The view was amazing. The Severn river became the dominant feature from the sky, snaking around the numerous towns before disappearing into the horizon towards the Severn Bridge. It may have been a pleasant 14C on the ground but 500ft in the air it was near freezing! A few minutes later I had a sighting of the bore. It barely appeared as a ripple at this height but I immediately sprung the camera into action. Over the course of the next hour and a half I got some spectacular footage. I was amazed at how much the bore changes in appearance through the differing sections of the river. At times we were struggling to see the leading edge, no more than a ripple. Then out of nowhere a huge breaking wave would appear and rip all in its path. My hands were frozen solid after about 15 mins into the flight. There were also a few 'white knuckle' moments as we twisted, turned and dived in one manoeuvre. I was close to chucking on more than one occasion. I eventually landed and I was visibly shaking such was the adrenalin running through me. It was an unbelievable shoot, the toughest I have ever undertaken in very testing conditions for a camera (Olympus E1, 90-250mm lens). The aerial images over the next few pages made most of the National newspapers the next day.

    In 2007 I experienced the Severn Bore from a vantage point like no other, the sky. I persuaded a microlight pilot to take me up in the air to follow the tidal bore. I had never been in a microlight before. When I arrived at the airfield in Gloucester the microlight reminded me of 'Little Nellie' from the James Bond film 'You Only Live Twice'. We accelerated over a bumpy field and then all of a sudden we swept upwards, turning at the same time. All too quickly houses turned into tiny boxes and roads turned into lines. The view was amazing. The Severn river became the dominant feature from the sky, snaking around the numerous towns before disappearing into the horizon towards the Severn Bridge. It may have been a pleasant 14C on the ground but 500ft in the air it was near freezing! A few minutes later I had a sighting of the bore. It barely appeared as a ripple at this height but I immediately sprung the camera into action. Over the course of the next hour and a half I got some spectacular footage. I was amazed at how much the bore changes in appearance through the differing sections of the river. At times we were struggling to see the leading edge, no more than a ripple. Then out of nowhere a huge breaking wave would appear and rip all in its path. My hands were frozen solid after about 15 mins into the flight. There were also a few 'white knuckle' moments as we twisted, turned and dived in one manoeuvre. I was close to chucking on more than one occasion. I eventually landed and I was visibly shaking such was the adrenalin running through me. It was an unbelievable shoot, the toughest I have ever undertaken in very testing conditions for a camera (Olympus E1, 90-250mm lens). The aerial images over the next few pages made most of the National newspapers the next day.

  • In 2007 I experienced the Severn Bore from a vantage point like no other, the sky. I persuaded a microlight pilot to take me up in the air to follow the tidal bore. I had never been in a microlight before. When I arrived at the airfield in Gloucester the microlight reminded me of 'Little Nellie' from the James Bond film 'You Only Live Twice'. We accelerated over a bumpy field and then all of a sudden we swept upwards, turning at the same time. All too quickly houses turned into tiny boxes and roads turned into lines. The view was amazing. The Severn river became the dominant feature from the sky, snaking around the numerous towns before disappearing into the horizon towards the Severn Bridge. It may have been a pleasant 14C on the ground but 500ft in the air it was near freezing! A few minutes later I had a sighting of the bore. It barely appeared as a ripple at this height but I immediately sprung the camera into action. Over the course of the next hour and a half I got some spectacular footage. I was amazed at how much the bore changes in appearance through the differing sections of the river. At times we were struggling to see the leading edge, no more than a ripple. Then out of nowhere a huge breaking wave would appear and rip all in its path. My hands were frozen solid after about 15 mins into the flight. There were also a few 'white knuckle' moments as we twisted, turned and dived in one manoeuvre. I was close to chucking on more than one occasion. I eventually landed and I was visibly shaking such was the adrenalin running through me. It was an unbelievable shoot, the toughest I have ever undertaken in very testing conditions for a camera (Olympus E1, 90-250mm lens). The aerial images over the next few pages made most of the National newspapers the next day.

    In 2007 I experienced the Severn Bore from a vantage point like no other, the sky. I persuaded a microlight pilot to take me up in the air to follow the tidal bore. I had never been in a microlight before. When I arrived at the airfield in Gloucester the microlight reminded me of 'Little Nellie' from the James Bond film 'You Only Live Twice'. We accelerated over a bumpy field and then all of a sudden we swept upwards, turning at the same time. All too quickly houses turned into tiny boxes and roads turned into lines. The view was amazing. The Severn river became the dominant feature from the sky, snaking around the numerous towns before disappearing into the horizon towards the Severn Bridge. It may have been a pleasant 14C on the ground but 500ft in the air it was near freezing! A few minutes later I had a sighting of the bore. It barely appeared as a ripple at this height but I immediately sprung the camera into action. Over the course of the next hour and a half I got some spectacular footage. I was amazed at how much the bore changes in appearance through the differing sections of the river. At times we were struggling to see the leading edge, no more than a ripple. Then out of nowhere a huge breaking wave would appear and rip all in its path. My hands were frozen solid after about 15 mins into the flight. There were also a few 'white knuckle' moments as we twisted, turned and dived in one manoeuvre. I was close to chucking on more than one occasion. I eventually landed and I was visibly shaking such was the adrenalin running through me. It was an unbelievable shoot, the toughest I have ever undertaken in very testing conditions for a camera (Olympus E1, 90-250mm lens). The aerial images over the next few pages made most of the National newspapers the next day.

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    I think the energy that oozes from this shot is wonderful. I was right on top of the wave as I fired across its length. Sabrina was alive, and I could hear her breathing. Shots like this justify all the efforts of utilising the boat. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/100s.
    There are some locations on the river where the bore is interrupted and clear of river traffic. There is a sense of victory of having shaken off its entourage of paparazzi combined with a gracefulness of its power. It is spots like this where the natural essence of the bore is a privilege to witness. Alone with Nature. Olympus E1, 50-200mm, F5.6, 1/640s.
    I managed to get one clear shot of all three of these guys as the bore surged down this section. There was a slight curve in the wave which just staggered their alignment. Luckily the boat was also in the right place. Again I was shooting right into the sun, which lit up the exploding wave break beautifully. I desaturated the image in order to apply a bit more drama, which worked out nicely. The wave here was really pushing with some force and probably moving nearer 15mph. Not a place to fall off. Olympus E1, 18-180mm, F7.1, 1/320s.