Do All Beaches Have Waves?

Chrissie Smuts
Coastal Environment
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Going to the beach is always a wonderful experience. The calming rhythm of the waves as they come rolling onto the shore is enough to bring relaxation levels up by a few notches. I noticed that some beaches have fewer waves than others, and it made me wonder: Do all beaches have waves?

Waves result from the movement of big masses of water by forces like the wind. Waves are slowed down by friction under the surface. On some beaches, it appears as though there are no waves, but it means that the wind is not moving the waves in that specific direction.

Other factors cause friction and thus slow down the waves or block the wind, which leads to smaller or nearly non-existent waves. The rest of the post is filled with information gathered through research.

Beaches That Has Little To No Waves

There are beaches all over the world that have little to no waves that reach the shore. Some waves are broken by underwater landmass, rocks, or even reefs. Some places hardly have the wind blowing inshore. Here are a few of those beaches:

No Surf Beach

This beach is located in San Diego, California. It is a popular beach because the waves are small on the biggest part of the beach. The beach is situated inside a small cove, explaining why the waves that reach the shore are so calm. It is interesting to find a surfing spot inside the cove as well.

Here, one can see the forces of rocks, underwater landmass, and friction slowing down waves to an extent where the deeper parts of water still have enough waves for people to surf on.

Coronado Beach

This beach is also located in San Diego, California. The waves reaching the shore of this beach is so small that it is not even visible at times. A movie featuring Marilyn Monroe used footage that was shot at this beach. In the movie ‘Some like it hot’ shots can be seen where the water looks more like a lake than a beach.

The location of Coronado beach has a lot to do with the fact that there are no waves at times. If maps are anything to go by, it can be seen that many of the beaches in the same vicinity are also flat, but as the depths of the water increase, so does the size of the waves.

Avila Beach

This beach is also known as Pirates Cove beach because it is surrounded by rocks and small mountains on the California coast. This beach is an excellent example of how the wind affects the waves reaching the beach. At times it looks like the water is standing still, and then suddenly, dozens of small swells can be seen reaching the shoreline.

This beach is also popular with beachgoers that are not fond of too much clothing. This means that clothing is optional at this beach.  It was not intended for it to be this way, but the waves at the beach dictate the amount of clothing that a person puts on. On a serious note, though, the beach is known to have smaller waves than many other beaches.

Lewes Beach

Lewes Beach is located in Delaware. This beach is located in the bay, making it a beach with little to no waves. Delaware is second only to Florida in terms of the lowest elevation. Many of the beaches in the immediate vicinity are known not to have so many waves.

Delaware and its beaches are located in the Atlantic coastal plains stretching from the border with Maryland to the mouth of the Delaware Bay. The beaches closer to the mouth of the bay has the biggest waves.

Sanur Beach

Sanur beach is located in Bali, Indonesia. The waves that reach the shore are so small, making it a popular destination for people who want to relax in the ocean’s calm waters.

Some days, the water is so calm that it will lead people to believe that they can indeed walk on water.

Bali is known for its beautiful beaches and is a popular holiday destination for people from across the world. Swimming beaches are popular because they have little to no waves, making it safe even for toddlers to get into the water. Remember always to stay close to the kids to prevent unwanted drownings.

Chintsa Beach

This beach is located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It has a lagoon at the river mouth, and it is here where the waves on the beach are non-existent. The semi-tropical climate of the region makes it a mild temperature setting year-round. These conditions make it a favorite beach destination for locals.

The lagoon part where the river flows into the ocean is where families are found that soak up the summer sun in the safe swimming conditions created by this beach with little to no waves in certain sections. It is said that the water temperature is also favorable for swimming.

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Should All Beaches Have Waves?

People visit beaches for different reasons, so the general feeling is that we as people choose our favorite locations based on what we need. Some beachgoers prefer long walks on the beach, so the size of the waves doesn’t matter so much in that sense.

On the other hand, surfing requires waves of considerable size, which means that professional surfers prefer beaches with good waves. People love to have options, and that makes life interesting. If all beaches were the same, people would not want to travel to different beach locations around the world.

Conclusion

Waves on beaches worldwide differ in size based on weather patterns and wind conditions. Specific locations are so well guarded against these factors that the beaches hardly have any waves at all. I hope that the article was helpful in learning the facts about whether all beaches have waves.

The mentioned beaches are not an exhaustive list but merely the ones that stood out for me during my research. So have fun doing your research and enjoy the various beaches that the world offers.

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