These beaches made Suchen think of a ragged shoreline in Ireland or the clashing waves of the North Sea at the mouth of a Norwegian fjord.

NEWYORKER: Alone

For me, Bimini has always been a tranquil place to escape the commotion of big-city living, a sandy haven where I can sit and listen to the ocean waves gently slapping the shoreline.

CNN: A beach break in Bimini

In 1938 a hurricane flattened many homes on New York's Long Island, and waves as high as 50 feet pounded the shoreline all the way to Massachusetts.

FORBES: Good Hands, Iron Fist

As the waves approached the shallows, it was possible to see them rise in height and crash onto the shoreline.

CNN: Tsunami tragedy: Your e-mails