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The beach itself looks majestic, from this high up – whether you're a fan of nature websites, mostly just browse your finances on Love Money or your bank, it's incredible to see something so powerful from such a distance - you get a real sense of the scale of wave patterns.

This is an important image if the sea is a source of your thrills – surfers are usually very clued-in about wave patterns and what is and isn't safe. Pictures like this are a good way of learning how water behaves nearer land, allowing surfers to build up ideal routes from crest to shore, and allowing them to spot ideal places to go using satellite images like this one.

Of course, there are other uses for birds-eye views of the waves – serious weather forms like tsunamis, coastal storms and other such dangerous weather can be pinpointed and prepared for well in advance with use of this type of technology. With each advance in satellite photography, we can gain a better picture of what causes events like the recent devastating tsunami that hit Chile. Better advances in research mean easier advances in technology – everybody benefits, even the surfers!