The Tide Is Out

Book Review: Waves and Beaches by Willard Bascom and Kim McCoy

Waves and Beaches by Willard Bascom and and updated Kim McCoy is an excellent resource on the physics and science of these coastal (and not so coastal) phenomena. While the book is definitely sodden with scientific terms, it is the ultimate resource for those wanting to learn more than waves and beaches and how to identify what you’re looking at on the coast.

Information: 10/10

This book is has great informational depth and is well researched. The original author, Willard Bascom, has great scientific knowledge and firsthand experience while Kim McCoy updates make it more relevant to today’s issues. There is little of the theory, statistics, and science of waves and beaches that is left out. There is a lengthy discussion of perfect waves, waves in the “real world,” the surf and the way it interacts with the shore, and the earth’s longest waves: tides. 

The book also deals extensively with beaches as sedimentary shorelines and how they are moved and shaped by waves. Want to know about coastal engineering of jetties and how they attempt to deal with littoral drift? You got it! How about why waves make those backwash marks in the sand or why beach faces change from winter to summer? It’s got that too. 

The authors also include personal stories in the text about field research and colleagues that add real depth and reality to the discussion.

Images and Illustrations: 9/10

The book is stunningly illustrated with many photos and figures explaining concepts. The photos are powerful, often entire two-page spreads. The figures, for visual learners and those who find some of the physics concepts difficult (like me) are indispensable. However, they can be slightly inaccessible for those without a scientific bent or background. Although they are at time dense and lack an intuitive layout in some places, a little pause to focus on the figures and their captions will result in a better understanding of the concept.

Readability and Format: 6/10

The format of Waves and Beaches is logical and flows well; the reason for the lower rating here is for dense, scientific sections that make it less readable for the other books we’ve reviewed. The authors assume some insider knowledge and understanding of physics, though the text is written clearly and concisely. That being said, this is definitely a handbook, not a traditional reference book. You can sit down and read straight through without being bored. The jargon is scientific, but the tone is often casual and light. 

If you don’t understand a concept in the book, read it again before moving on. The authors will likely build on that concept later, furthering frustrations if you missed the first one, just like middle school math. Don’t be too scared by the unsimplified physics and math in this book if that isn’t your thing. I’m definitely a life sciences gal, but I still found it intriguing and enjoyable. 

Portability: 4/10

This isn’t a reference-sized book, but it’s not a pocket guide either. And it certainly isn’t designed or laid out for “in the field” use, as it’s a bit bulky and heavy. My copy, pictured here, is hardback.

Overall Usefulness for the Tidepooler: 6/10

Waves and Beaches is directly about tide pooling, but many of the concepts about surf, sedimentary shores, and littoral drift are relevant to looking for creatures along the coast. In addition, there is an entire chapter on tides (and seiches) that creates a strong balance between scientific depth and accessibility. Understanding the tides, how they function, and how they impact shoreline life is an essential part of tide pooling. That said, much of the rest of this book is intriguing enough to read, and even if it doesn’t exactly improve your tide pooling game, it will enhance it.