User Tools

Site Tools


wave_basics

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision
Previous revision
wave_basics [2025/09/03 19:49]
pstureavley
wave_basics [2026/01/12 00:56] (current)
pstureavley
Line 3: Line 3:
 <WRAP centeralign>​ <WRAP centeralign>​
  
-[[{{:​surf:​wavephoto.jpg?​nolink&​600x212|wavephoto.jpg}}]]+{{:​surf:​wavephoto.jpg?​direct&​600x212|wavephoto.jpg}}
  
 Photo from [[https://​youtu.be/​66fA7T9Nelc|Mathis Roudaut video]] Photo from [[https://​youtu.be/​66fA7T9Nelc|Mathis Roudaut video]]
Line 17: Line 17:
 <WRAP centeralign>​ <WRAP centeralign>​
  
-**Waves and Boat Wakes for Paddlers**+**Understanding ​Waves and Boat Wakes for Paddlers**
  
  ​{{youtube>​qjtnza-LOWY?​large}}  ​{{youtube>​qjtnza-LOWY?​large}}
 +
 +This video has a good section on surfing boat wakes
  
 </​WRAP>​ </​WRAP>​
Line 43: Line 45:
 **Swell** refers to waves that have moved beyond the area of wind that generated them, sometimes traveling great distances and not "​affected"​ by the local wind (the swell retains its size and speed - although it can be masked or made less visually obvious by large local wind waves). Swell waves tend to be longer and faster than local wind waves. "​**Groundswell"​**or** "​ground swell**"​ refers to swell that has traveled 1000's of miles and is often identified by a period (time between waves) of more than 15 seconds. **Swell** refers to waves that have moved beyond the area of wind that generated them, sometimes traveling great distances and not "​affected"​ by the local wind (the swell retains its size and speed - although it can be masked or made less visually obvious by large local wind waves). Swell waves tend to be longer and faster than local wind waves. "​**Groundswell"​**or** "​ground swell**"​ refers to swell that has traveled 1000's of miles and is often identified by a period (time between waves) of more than 15 seconds.
  
-   * **[[Swell Dynamics in Downwinding|]]**+   * **[[:​wavedynamics|Swell Dynamics in Downwinding]]**
 **Larger Waves **  (including [[https://​www.sciencealert.com/​a-rogue-wave-four-stories-high-is-the-largest-on-record|Freak Waves]], and [[https://​www.nps.gov/​articles/​coastal-geohazards-seiches.htm|Seiches]]) - wave size increase happens when: **Larger Waves **  (including [[https://​www.sciencealert.com/​a-rogue-wave-four-stories-high-is-the-largest-on-record|Freak Waves]], and [[https://​www.nps.gov/​articles/​coastal-geohazards-seiches.htm|Seiches]]) - wave size increase happens when:
  
Line 61: Line 63:
 ---- ----
  
-when waves roll over shallower areas such as shorelines (**Shore Break) **the deeper part of the wave slows due to friction from the underlying shallows while the tops of waves keep their speed and eventually topple over (break). This process can occur anywhere (not just close to shore) there are shallows due to features such as underwater reefs, shallow bottom shelves, and sand bars. Very shallow water will cause all waves to break which is usually easy to notice, while deeper shallows will cause only bigger waves (**Boomers**) to break sometimes with periods of 30 minutes or more between breaking waves. Such breaking waves can be surprising (particularly for paddlers unfamiliar with the underlying shallows) and have to be watched out for carefully by folks in smaller vessels. The indigenous Australian term for areas with large offshore breaking seas due to reefs and shallows is **Bombora**. [[Nautical charts|]] are available online (view or download) for coastal waters around the world to allow anticipation of shallows and potential boomers, although online viewers may not have sufficient resolution to show all smaller shallow areas. Water depth and resultant occurrence of breaking waves can also vary with the tide. Working on and around surf breaks, surfskiers are typically looking:+when waves roll over shallower areas such as shorelines (**Shore Break) **the deeper part of the wave slows due to friction from the underlying shallows while the tops of waves keep their speed and eventually topple over (break). This process can occur anywhere (not just close to shore) there are shallows due to features such as underwater reefs, shallow bottom shelves, and sand bars. Very shallow water will cause all waves to break which is usually easy to notice, while deeper shallows will cause only bigger waves (**Boomers**) to break sometimes with periods of 30 minutes or more between breaking waves. Such breaking waves can be surprising (particularly for paddlers unfamiliar with the underlying shallows) and have to be watched out for carefully by folks in smaller vessels. The indigenous Australian term for areas with large offshore breaking seas due to reefs and shallows is **Bombora**. [[:​nautical_charts|Nautical charts]] are available online (view or download) for coastal waters around the world to allow anticipation of shallows and potential boomers, although online viewers may not have sufficient resolution to show all smaller shallow areas. Water depth and resultant occurrence of breaking waves can also vary with the tide. Working on and around surf breaks, surfskiers are typically looking:
  
   - to catch and ride swell early, peeling off before arriving at the break zone   - to catch and ride swell early, peeling off before arriving at the break zone
Line 78: Line 80:
 ---- ----
  
-flat shorelines usually absorb most wave energy while steep shorelines and barriers in the water can cause waves to bounce off and rebound with the rebounding waves working at odd angles to the prevailing wave patterns and causing greater turbulence. This can create more challenging paddling. It also can contradict the usual wisdom of staying closer to shore for safety or easier paddling when rebound makes for more difficult paddling conditions closer to shore. Transient rebound can quickly cause more turbulence when larger waves from passing boats or ships bounce off of the shore. Abrupt barriers in the water can cause pronounced rebound referred to as "​[[https://​en.wikipedia.org/​wiki/​Clapotis|clapotis]]"​. If a steep shoreline is shallow enough to expose flat shore at lower tide levels then wave energy will be better absorbed and rebound can be mitigated during lower tide.+flat shorelines usually absorb most wave energy while steep shorelines and barriers in the water can cause waves to bounce off and rebound with the rebounding waves working at odd angles to the prevailing wave patterns and causing greater turbulence. This can create more challenging paddling. It also can contradict the usual wisdom of staying closer to shore for safety or easier paddling when rebound makes for more difficult paddling conditions closer to shore. Transient rebound can quickly cause more turbulence when larger waves from passing boats or ships bounce off of the shore. Abrupt barriers in the water can cause pronounced rebound ​which interacts with the prevailing waves to for wave patterns ​referred to as "​[[https://​en.wikipedia.org/​wiki/​Clapotis|clapotis]]"​. If a steep shoreline is shallow enough to expose flat shore at lower tide levels then wave energy will be better absorbed and rebound can be mitigated during lower tide.
  
-[[Rebound Videos|]]+[[:​rebound_videos|Rebound Videos]]
  
 <WRAP centeralign>​ <WRAP centeralign>​
Line 98: Line 100:
 ---- ----
  
-==== Boat Wakes Waves ====+==== Boat Wake Waves ====
  
 <WRAP indent> <WRAP indent>
Line 112: Line 114:
 ---- ----
  
-  * [[Boat Wake Finding & Surfing|]]+  * [[:​surf#​surfing_boat_wakes_wash|Boat Wake Finding & Surfing]]
   * …   * …
  
-</​WRAP>​+</​WRAP>​</​WRAP>​
  
 ---- ----
- 
-</​WRAP>​ 
  
 ===== Measuring Wave Heights ===== ===== Measuring Wave Heights =====
Line 143: Line 143:
 <WRAP centeralign>​ <WRAP centeralign>​
  
-[[{{:​weather:​significant-waves.png?​nolink&​534x484}}]]+{{:​weather:​significant-waves.png?​direct&​534x484}}
  
 From [[http://​www.bom.gov.au/​marine/​knowledge-centre/​reference/​waves.shtml|Australian government weather site]] From [[http://​www.bom.gov.au/​marine/​knowledge-centre/​reference/​waves.shtml|Australian government weather site]]
Line 163: Line 163:
   * [[https://​www.surfline.com/​surf-news/​why-do-waves-come-in-sets/​1156|Wave Sets]]   * [[https://​www.surfline.com/​surf-news/​why-do-waves-come-in-sets/​1156|Wave Sets]]
   * [[https://​www.facebook.com/​sportscene/​videos/​10153337488756525/​|Dancing wave video]]   * [[https://​www.facebook.com/​sportscene/​videos/​10153337488756525/​|Dancing wave video]]
-  * [[Finding Other Waves|]]+  * [[:​finding_waves_anyway_can|Finding Other Waves]]
   * [[https://​thescienceofpaddling.net/​part-35-waves-linear-and-nonlinear|Wave Math]]   * [[https://​thescienceofpaddling.net/​part-35-waves-linear-and-nonlinear|Wave Math]]
   * [[https://​www.youtube.com/​watch?​v=pir_muTzYM8&​ab_channel=Veritasium|US Naval Indoor Ocean]]   * [[https://​www.youtube.com/​watch?​v=pir_muTzYM8&​ab_channel=Veritasium|US Naval Indoor Ocean]]