breaking waves
Ocean's curling crests
Breaking waves are waves that curl over and collapse as they approach shore, their crests toppling forward into foam.
The breaking occurs when shallow water slows the wave's base while the top continues forward.
Surfers ride breaking waves; beachgoers watch them crash.
The sound of breaking waves is iconic to coastal settings.
- surfWaves near shore
- crashingColliding with force
- foamBubble-filled substance
- whitecapsFoam-topped breaking waves
- white horsesFoam-topped breaking waves
shore · spray · sea spray · curl · swell · tide · high tide · roar · crest · undertow · shoreline · thunder · salt · salt air · froth · rolling · rolling in · pounding
- seascapesseascape, seascapes, ocean view, coastal view, coastal scenes
- ocean physicscurrents, tides, salinity, thermocline, upwelling
- wave sciencewavelength, peak period, spectral analysis, energy distribution, dispersion