In this paper a refraction-diffraction model with friction is used to compute wave characteristics in a region near a certain port. Comparing with the results from refraction model, and with the data observed during a typhoon in 1985, it is found that the characteristics from the refraction-diffraction model with friction are reasonable, and that the results are in rather good agreement with observations. Thus it can be concluded that the model is effective for computing coastal wave characteristics over complicated bottom topography.