Can one send a wave to bring an object from a distance? The general idea is inspired by the
recent success in moving micro particles using light and the development of a tractor beam
concept1,2,3
. For fluid surfaces, however, the only known paradigm is the Stokes drift model,
where linear planar waves push particles in the direction of the wave propagation4,5,6
. Here
we show how to fetch a macroscopic floater from a large distance by sending a surface wave
towards it. We develop a new method of remote manipulation of floaters by forming inward
and outward surface jets, stationary vortices, and other complex surface flows using
nonlinear waves generated by a vertically oscillating plunger. The flows can be engineered by
changing the geometry and the power of a wave maker, and the flow dissipation. The new
method is robust and works both for long gravity and for short capillary waves. We use a
novel method of visualizing 3D particle trajectories on the surface. This letter introduces a
new conceptual framework for understanding wave-driven flows. The results form the basis
for remote manipulation of objects on the fluid surfaces and will help better understanding
motion of floaters on the ocean surface and the generation of wave-driven jets.