The motion of the ocean WHAT MAKES WAVES? It’s not just the tides that make the sea move – waves do too!
Most ocean waves happen because of wind.
W ind blows over the surface of the sea, pushing water up into ripples.
The ripples move across the sea…
… and more wind makes them bigger.
W ind blowing over the sea makes waves form.
The stretch of water over which the wind blows is called the fetch.
What did the ocean say to the shore? Nothing. It just waved!
The bigger the fetch, the bigger the waves can get!
Giant ‘rogue waves’ at sea can sink boats. Answer on page 34
Woohoo!
In 2020 , Sebastia n Steud tner surfed t he bigg est wave ev er surfe d , at Nazaré , Portug a l. It was 26 m high – as tall as a n 8-stor ey block o f flats!
© R.M. Nunes / Shutterstock.com
Nazaré, o of the At n the coast lantic has the b Ocean, iggest breakers in the wor ld
