Oceanography Legends and Misconceptions
#1) Tidal Waves are related to ocean tides
More Accurately... “Tidal Wave” is the term often used to refer to the huge waves produced by underwater disturbances such as earthquakes, volcanoes or land slides. Waves produced in this manner have nothing to do with the tides and in recent decades people have adopted the Japanese term “tsunami”, which means “harbor wave”, since these waves are not readily detected on the open ocean.