This work reports results on the relationship between the nonlinear propagation of optical pulses and of water waves. What unites these two phenomena is that the envelope of the electric field of the light pulse, and of the water wave, can both be described by the same propagation equation: the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE). In the practical context of rogue waves on the ocean the optical system can serve as a table-top experiment. On a more fundamental level, the comparison allows cross-fertilization of insights. For water waves, the influence of viscous damping is examined with respect to the dispersion relation and the mass conservation. In addition, the effect of wind forcing on water waves is examined, specifically with respect to the spectral shift. Finally, triggering of optical filamentation by a turbulent atmosphere is demonstrated.