The Wave And what exactly are you waiting for? The perfect wave of course! Like other waves in physics, ocean waves represent a transfer of energy. Wind blowing across the ocean accelerates water particles near the surface, leading to the growth of ripples that become waves. These deviations from the flat surface are acted upon by gravity, which tries to restore the surface to its original flat state. As the waves then move through the water, particles push and pull on their neighbors through the wave-induced-pressure. This motion propagates energy through the water in unison with the wave motion. The motion of these particles is much more limited than the overall motion of the waves. Near the shore, the shallower sea floor constrains the motion of the waves to occur in a more limited region than out at sea, concentrating the wave energy near the surface. If the topography of the shore line is even and smooth, this will refract the waves to become more parallel to the shore as they approach. http://cedarbank.co.uk/the-science-of-a-breaking-wave