It is one of the basic problems of naval architecture and ocean engineering how to describe the wave kinematics normally under the assumption of an ideal fluid. At present, there are many wave theories available for design purposes. These can be classified into two groups: One is the analytic theory and the other is the numerical theory. This paper briefly introduces the stream function method of R.G. Dean which belongs to the latter group and shows its numerical evaluations exemplified for two cases: One is applied to observed waves and the other is for design waves. In the former case, the wave profiles are calculated by the stream function method and compared with those of the observed waves and also with the results of R.G. Dean. They show good agreement. In the latter case, the wave kinematics and wave loads on a column of diameter 1m are calculated by the stream function method and these are compared with those resulted from the 5th-order gravity wave theory. As a result of comparison the values by the stream function method are slightly larger than those by the 5th-order gravity wave theory but the difference are negligible. From this it is concluded that the stream function method is very useful. And as characteristics of the numerical theories, the stream function method of R.G. Dean can be easily extended to the higher order terms and can include easily the current velocity and the pressure distribution on the free surface. In addition, when the data of observed wave profile are given, this method can reproduced the observed wave profile as closely as possible so that this method seems to describe the ocean wave more realistically. And from standpoint of a mathematical principle the stream function method exactly satisfies the kinematic free-surface boundary condition.