Groynes trap material being transported by longshore drift. This builds up a wide beach which helps absorb energy from waves, reducing the rate of cliff erosion.

Find out more about hard engineering at the coast.

An offshore bar is a raised area of seabed that is found offshore.

Find out more about landforms of coastal deposition.

Onshore winds (winds blowing inland from the sea) cause the formation of sand dunes at the back of a beach. Sand is deposited by the wind around an object such as a rock, forming embryo dunes. Over time, vegetation such as marram grass stabilises the sand dunes forming foredunes. As the vegetation around the foredunes decomposes nutrients are released and soil begins to form. A wider range of plants are then able to colonise the dunes.

Find out more about sand dunes.

Beach material is bounced along the seafloor.

Find out more about coastal transportation.

Abrasion occurs as breaking waves, concentrated between the high and low watermarks, which contain sand and larger fragments wear away the base of a cliff or headland. It is commonly known as the sandpaper effect. This process is particularly common in high-energy storm conditions.

Find out more about coastal erosion.