This is an example of a simile, as it compares waves to mountains using "as."
The literary term is simile, which is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using "like" or "as". In this example, the characters are likened to mountains to emphasize their size and permanence.
A simile.
The donkey was as surefooted as a mountain goat.
A metaphor
It is a simile.
As quick as a wink is a simile. ----
simile It is an example of a simile (uses like or as). A simile in itself though is a type of metaphor.
simile
that man
Simile
When you see AS ___ AS ____ you are looking at A Simile ... this is a comparison that says something is as _____ as something else. In this case you are comparing something or someone to a tall mountain.