As wind moves over the open ocean, the turbulent air distorts the surface of the water. Gusts of wind depress the surface where they move downward; as they move upward, they cause a decrease in pressure, elevating the water's surface. These changes in atmospheric pressure produce an irregular, wavy surface of the ocean. The same pressure transfers energy to the water.

As we look out onto the ocean there are very seldom  patterns of waves of equal size following each other. What we usually see is the water's surface, at times choppy,  always irregular,  always reflecting the amount of wind applied to the surface. As sailors will know becalmed areas can be spotted far ahead for those are spots sans windwaves, all we might see there are groundswells moving through.

Most waves approaching our shores are bent, or refracted with this much energy is concentrated on headlands and dispersed in bays.

A look at the chart used for Monterey Bay might explain why we have more erosion near the former Ford Ord, now CSUMB coast than near the wharf at the far south end of the bay. Just think of the high wave energy hitting the bottom of the sandy cliffs as the wind blows from NW or the West. But more detailed explanation can be found at the Ekman transport pages.

A look at the map tells us why we have bigger waves constantly pounding Asilomar's rocky shores. The prevailing winds for the Monterey coast are from NW and the inner bay is much more protected.

Updated information on wave data for the Monterey Bay is available by clicking on ocean-data  or wave data.

Wave motion in the water can be described in the same terms as those applied to other wave phenomena. A wavelength is the horizontal distance between adjacent wave crests. The wave height is the vertical distance between wave crest and wave trough. The time between the passage of two successive crests is called the wave period.

Let's look at breakers. As we know wave action produces little or no forward motion. Just throw a nut shell into the water and see what happens. Because water moves in a orbital path, the nutshell might go nowhere unless wind or current lend a helping hand. However as a wave approaches shallow water some big changes occur. First the wave length decreases because the water columns base hits bottom. This slows the waves on the bottom and moves the top of the water column ahead of the rest. The released energy being a wall of moving turbulent surf is commonly known as breakers.   

Longshore drift is generated as waves strike a shore at an angle. Water and sediment move obliquely up the beach face but return directly down the beach, perpendicular to the shoreline. This movement results in a net transport parallel to shore. As a result huge amounts of sediment is constantly moved parallel to the shore.

What are tidal waves? Essential of Oceanography says "the only true tidal waves are relatively harmless waves associated with the tides themselves." However the majority of the English speaking public, as well as the English and the American English versions of the Unabridged Webster's Dictionary and the internet are not aware of  such definition and if  questioned about tidal waves they all shall point you into the direction of tsunamis.

What are Tsunamis?  http://planet-hawaii.com/tsunami/