Waves are most commonly caused by wind. Wind-driven waves, or surface waves, are created by the friction between wind and surface water. As wind blows across the surface of the ocean or a lake, the continual disturbance creates a wave crest. ... The gravitational pull of the sun and moon on the earth also causes waves.
As they are wind generated, obviously oceans waves can't exist without wind. First it causes ripples in the sea surface and then waves. Waves help to minimize the extremes in the planet's temperature, moving cold water away from the poles while at the same time moving warm waters from the equator towards them.