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A S
 is an area of sand or shingle that has been transported by longshore drift and then deposited as
the coastline has changed direction. It is attached to the land at one end. It is a depositional
landformd. SS

 in Hampshire is a very famous example.

Where the coastline changes direction, sediment is deposited in the same direction as the original
coastline (i.e. in line with the prevailing wind direction). Where there is a break in the coastline and a
slight drop in energy, longshore drift will deposit material at a faster rate than it can be removed and
gradually a 

is built up. The material is deposited in the deeper water offshore until the ridge is built
above the level of the sea. Drift continues along the S
 side of the spit extending it further down the
coast while salt marsh develops in the slow-moving water on the  side.

Spits can become a permanent feature. This happens when the prevailing wind picks up sand from the
beach and blows it inland across the spit to form S
S. These dunes will then be colonised
by 


, which S

S
S them. It is common for a S S to develop in the sheltered area of
water behind the spit. Water is trapped behind the spit, creating a low energy zone. As the water begins
to stagnate, mud and marsh begin to develop behind the spit.

A spit may grow out across a 



S. Where the spit is crossing a river mouth, the river will be
diverted so that it follows the coastline for some miles before reaching the sea.

S
A

Bars can form in several ways:

(a) a spit grows the whole way across a bay
(b) a sandbank develops offshore, parallel to the shore, and is moved towards the coastline by the waves
and wind until it joins the mainland

  S is an example of a bar. The lagoon of water than has formed on the landward side of the
bar is called Slapton Ley.

A   is formed where a spit joins an island to the mainland. An example is the S

  which is joined to the mainland by a shingle ridge known as 
S

.

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  one or more sandbars or spits that connect an island to the mainland. A single tombolo may connect a
tied island to the mainland, as at Marblehead, Mass. A double tombolo encloses a lagoon that eventually fills with
sediment; fine examples of these occur off the coast of Italy. The shallower waters that occur between an island and
the mainland are the loci of such features because sandbars form there.

A sandbar that connects an island to the mainland or to another island

WAVE REFRACTION

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