Why does sea water always come towards you?

Question

I know the tides go in and out, the sea level goes up and down, but why, which ever way a beach is facing - north, south, east or west, the water is always coming towards you. Where does it divide? In the middle of the ocean? I don't think so. When it's always coming towards you on an island, how is that explained?

Answer 1

If the waves are always coming towards you, where does the water go once it gets there?  Hehe.  What you're referring to as the "wave" is actually the peak of the wave.  The more shallow the water, the taller the peak is, until it finally breaks and comes ashore.  Then it is swept back out under the next wave that comes in.  And the cycle continues...  Have you ever seen waves break over a reef or a sandbar in the middle of the ocean?  It happens anywhere the water gets shallow enough to affect the flow of the water.

Answer 2

I f you dive or walk in to the waters.... The ocean reacts and goes to you because you have force.... Now if 2 or more people jumps or dive or walk in the same time the water will divide and splashes..... Hope I helped u!!!!

Answer 3

You answered your own question (in a way)  -the tides rise and fall (water gets deeper inland and further away, respectively).

Since the ocean is not a static body of water (storms, wind, upwelling, tectonics, etc.) it breaks on the shore.

Water will always seek it's own level - you can't have one part of water higher than the other (that's how the p-trap in the sink works).

That's why when a drop of water hits water, the ripples go out in all directions.

Answer 4

You said it yourself.  The tide goes in and out.  The water isn't always coming toward you.

Now, there is also the illusion that all the waves are coming toward the shore.  This is caused by the fact that the depth of the ocean decreases as it approaches the shore.  Waves approaching the shore get bigger, waves moving away from the shore get smaller.  You notice the ones coming toward the shore.

Answer 5

You answer your oqn question.

Tides, and therefore, the water go in and out.

There is your answer.

As far as north, south, east, west? Which way are YOU facing?

You are facing the water.

If you are facing east, the water comes at you from the east, if you are facing west, the waves are coming at you from the east. Etc.