In region (1), the waves diffract with the wave fronts forming circular arcs centred on the point of the breakwater. When the waves diffract, the wave heights diminish as the energy of the incident wave spreads over the region. The real situation is, however, more complicated than that presented in Figure 2.14(a). The reflected waves in region (2) will diffract into region (3) and hence extend the short-crested system into region (3).