# What does the following mean: "breaking top of an ocean roller"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-following-mean-breaking-top-of-an-ocean-roller/959454>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 14, 2022, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-following-mean-breaking-top-of-an-ocean-roller/959454 "2022-02-14T11:42:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2acd7d/32.png) [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2022, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-following-mean-breaking-top-of-an-ocean-roller/959454/1 "2022-02-14T11:42:38Z")

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I’m looking for definitions for the terms “breaking top” and “ocean roller”.

“The landing on Mykines was exceptionally tricky. The boat surfed in on the green breaking top of an ocean roller into the tiny harbor …” (p.31 of Simon Winchester’s “Atlantic A Vast Ocean of a Million Stories”)

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**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2022, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-following-mean-breaking-top-of-an-ocean-roller/959454/2 "2022-02-14T11:46:44Z")

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“Breaking top” is the breaking top of a wave. An “ocean roller” is a large wave.

In other words, to enter the harbour, the boats have to essentially “surf” in on large breaking waves.

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**Author:** ![Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2acd7d/32.png) [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2022, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-following-mean-breaking-top-of-an-ocean-roller/959454/3 "2022-02-14T11:48:08Z")

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Thanks Princhester.