bowl

A type of wave, or portion of wave, that bends in on itself as it breaks; as viewed from above, a bowl section is crescent-shaped. Bowl waves are generally caused by a raised area of reef or sandbar; they can also be formed as a wave bounces off a jetty or head-land and intersects with the following wave. A bowl section not only tends to be bigger than the rest of the wave, but is harder-breaking...