Abnormal water column sprayed in the middle of the sea due to wave collision

Photographer Ben Allen and surfer Chris White recorded the strange water column that appeared about 60 km off the south coast of Western Australia. White first encountered the water column about 10 years ago, while returning from another location. The strange shape of the water column left him deeply impressed and determined to find it again. Last year, he and Allen made the trip and released the video this month.

After 6 hours of traveling by jet ski, overcoming rough seas and rain, they saw the water column from afar. “You will see this fountain from miles away, and the closer you get, the louder the sound,” White shared. Meanwhile, Allen commented

This strange phenomenon is formed when two waves meet above a shallow coral reef, creating a giant column of water spraying into the sky. Allen estimated the water shot up about 40 meters. He said: “I controlled the drone at a height of 40 meters and you could see water drops flying above that level.”

According to Professor Charitha Pattiaratchi from the University of Western Australia’s Ocean Institute, the surrounding deep water combined with the right wave conditions created the spray column. “It’s where shallow water is surrounded by deep water. Essentially, two waves coming from two different directions come over the reef and collide, creating a large column of water that shoots up,” Pattiaratchi explains. He said a similar phenomenon occurs on many beaches, when different waves collide and cause water to splash, but on a much smaller scale.

Arnold Van Rooijen, an expert in wave dynamics at the University of Western Australia, said that such a water column is very rare. “This is a unique combination of the reef’s geomorphology and the symmetry of the water depth,” he commented.

“I’ve photographed many waves, explored and observed them for hours, but have never seen anything like it. It was truly a breathtaking sight,” White added. He and Allen have not disclosed the exact location of the water column for safety reasons.