Can a wave move away from the shore?

[mikkistorey]

I was in Portugal, standing in shallow water, playing with my kids, when one single wave came past, moving away from the beach. I turned to see if some idiot had gone past the shoreline with a boat, but nothing. This was more than a ripple - enough to lift the kids up in their rubber rings.

Is this possible, or am I losing it?

Mikki

[Black]

On a steeply shelving beach you can get waves reflected back from the shore line. If they meet an incoming wave the resultant amplitude can make for much amusement.

[Chris F]

Surfing Aberdeen at high tide can be entertaining, when waves bounce off the seawall. Like trying to surf over speedbumps!

[stephh]

can happen any beach break I reckon, at Widdy a big bank formed at the top of the beach and at hight tide swell would hit that then waves would bounce back through, it was most entertaining get the same at the Ho! if you are in at high tide and a decent swell gets through and reflects back of the pebble ridge

[midnightwolf]

I was at highcliffe at high tide some time ago and the waves going back out were nearly as big as the ones coming in! seriously i felt like i was in a washing machine. Didn't help that it was a messy 5ft.

[surfinsmiler]

Can lead to some amusing moments whilst trying to enter/exit the water! I once managed three consecutive re-entries on my longboard starting from all the way out back, all courtesy of the reflection off the pebble bank,the last of which actually boosted me into an air drop before rolling almost into the bank itself.Great fun but hard to look cool whilst being buried by pebbles!