Yep, you'd need foam around the pilings. And a bit here and there on the wave-tops. I also think it would be easiest done in postwork. Metaballs with a foamy texture would be pure hell to position (that's why I didn't put foam into my seascape). Maybe you could use a photo texture of wood for the bump map of the pier? Is it one mesh or separate meshes for everything? Finally, what is the texture of the water? Something you've done? I'm trying to do something like that and cannot hit the right colour.

-- erlik