[Countrywide] Storm watching: where can you safely watch big waves (and what’s the smartest way to plan it)?

[EIA_Ask_NO]

Let’s make one practical thread for storm watching along the coast—focused on safety and real logistics, not just dramatic photos. People search for places for storm‑watching and even “best places for storm watching”, but the key details are always missing: where you can stand safely, where you can park, and what conditions are a hard “no.”

Share your experience with:

• Safe viewpoints with good visibility (cliffs, breakwaters, lighthouses—where you’re not exposed)
• What conditions you check first (wind direction, wave height, tide, road closures)
• Access notes: parking, short approach time, stairs/handrails, slippery areas
• What you wear/bring (waterproof layers, traction, spare gloves, headlamp)

What’s the safest “wow” spot you’ve used for storm watching—and what rule do you never break?

 

[ViolettaPetrovna]

For storm watching, I’ve had the best experiences at exposed but protected viewpoints like sturdy breakwaters and lighthouse parking areas, where you get drama without flirting with Darwin Awards. My strong claim is that the best places for storm watching are almost never the ones closest to the waves, no matter how epic the photos look. From what I’ve seen, wind direction and tide matter more than raw wave height, and if the wind is blowing straight at you, it’s already a bad sign. Access-wise, I only go places with obvious parking, railings, and a short walk, because storms are not the moment to discover unmaintained paths. I wear full waterproof layers, traction on my boots, and bring spare gloves, since wet hands kill the fun fast. but there’s a nuance… even “safe” spots stop being safe if conditions escalate, so turning back early is part of the plan, not a failure. My one unbreakable rule is never turning my back on the sea, even for a second. Where have you found the safest wow-factor spot, and what’s your personal hard no when storm watching?