Waves are a prerequisite for coral coast formation. Reef-building corals require reasonably high wave-energy environments to maintain the water clarity, to deliver nutrients, to disperse larvae, to remove sediment, and to limit competition and predation.
Coral coasts, such as those found along the southern Atlantic coast and Hawaii, consist of reefs and also calcareous sediments along the shore. Waves help pulverize coral skeletons to produce this sediment.