The wave generation mechanism is similar in some ways to lift generation on an aircraft. The air around a flying airplane produces lift—in other words, the energy transferred to keep the plane's shiny side up. Airfoils (wings, tails, rudders, etc) have a camber, which means their upper surfaces are curved in order to create lift. Basically, air flowing over a wing shoals like a wave coming to shore. (See Airfoil image.)
The layer of air clinging to the cambered wing "feels" the rising surface and gets squeezed between the wing and air above. This tighter spot (a venturi) between the wing and the air above forces the air to initially slow down and then speed up—similar to water in a slightly pinched hose or a river in a narrow section of flow.
Once out of the venturi, the air shoots down the back of the wing with a force called downwash, helping to create some of the lift that keeps a plane flying. If a pilot raises the aircraft's nose too much, the venturi effect is broken and the air becomes unstable just like the unstable wave as it shoals to shore. Curling eddies of air crash like breaking waves over the camber of the wing. Not good for keeping a plane shiny side up.
Similarly, the ocean "feels" the rising bottom as it approaches the beach. The water gets squeezed between the rising ocean bottom and the surface. The water hugging the beach slows while the deeper water moves at its original speed. The energy needs somewhere to go, and so it goes up.
Waves, thus, stack up, grow in height, and eventually pitch over. Just like a pilot continuing to pitch up the nose of the aircraft, the ocean floor continues to rise as the water bounds to shore. Eventually, the ocean stands-up, breaking as a crashing wave. On an aircraft this turbulence destroys the lift force, and the wing drops. For surfers, however, this disturbance is our ride. If we are lucky, it will be a perfect peeling wave.
our little planet's endless quest for equilibrium creates a positive side effect:
pilots and surfers