Waves provide insight into Nature in its Big-N sense, meaning the world and how it functions - at least when mankind is taken out of the equation.  Waves are very real and very complex.  They can treat humans benignly and otherwise.  And they are merely the top layer of the oceans, which we understand and appreciate even less.  

For human observers standing on sandy shores, waves are consummately real, wet, noisy, and fascinating. And they are a constant reminder, 24 hours a day, that there are still many natural mysteries not yet understood by mankind.  We ultimately don't control the waves or the oceans, and it is hubris to think we or the Corps of Engineers do.  King Xerxes, seeking the make or keep Persia great again, failed to control the Hellespont.

Waves are sources of both inspiration and frustration for most ambitious photographers: they offer great image opportunities, but their infinite variety leaves us afraid to stop shooting, lest the best wave get away.

Here is a selection of Maui waves, taken at various shutter speeds to stop or emphasize flow and energy.  These photos do not show big, breaking waves.  These show the back eddies between crests and breaks and their complex textures and structures, not their dramatic explosions against the shore.  Many also depict the leading edge of the tidal froth as it rolls across the sand.  For anyone shooting on an empty stomach, the froth looks like the edge of a thick pancake bubbling on the griddle.