Flow visualization experiments have been performed which consider a solitary wave impinging on a vertical wall. Several stages of motion appear as the incident wave height is increased in subsequent runs. Small amplitude incident waves reflect off the vertical wall without a significant change in shape. Higher wave amplitudes form a liquid sheet at impact, which ascends the vertical wall and has a ridge of fluid at the leading edge. Small waves form behind the ridge, and the ridge may form droplets. Large incident wave amplitudes form spilling breaking waves, which result in much more complicated motion in the ascending sheet, including the formation of spray.
