The water is held above the surface by suction—the lack of air pressure over it pushing it down. Physicists will point out that technically it’s the pressure of the air on the rest of the ocean pushing the water up, not suction inside the column pulling it, which is true. But, just between us, once you understand that, it’s still sometimes easier to think of it as suction. I think that’s fine. Just don’t let the physicists hear you.
