wind waves, wind swell

Tidal bores and tsunami waves excepted, all oceanic waves are created by storm-generated winds and might therefore be called "wind waves," just as all swells are wind swells. But as used by surfers, both phrases describe waves created either by strong local winds or winds in the not-too-distant offshore waters—up to a few hundred miles from the coast. Wind waves are tightly bunched as they move th...