Depositional Features

Depositional features 

In a coastal environment, deposition results in the accumulation of sand and shingle along a coastline. This happens when the swash is stronger then the backswash. Depending on how and where the sediment is deposited, a variety of landforms can be produced.

Spits

A spit is a stretch of sand or shingle extending from the mainland out to sea. They develop where there is a sudden change in the shape of the coastline such as at a headland. Longshore drift transports beach sediment along a coastline. Longshore drift continues to transport material in the same direction rather than following the coastline. This transports the material out to sea. As the strength of the drift weakens away from the coastline, the sediment is deposited.

Bars and Lagoon

If the bay between two headlands is blocked off by a spit then that spit is known as a bar. The body of water behind the bar is known as a lagoon.

An example of a bar is Slapton Ley in Devon.

Tombolos 

Sometimes a spit extends far enough out to sea to join a coastal island to the mainland. When it does so, the spit is known as a tombolo. An example of this is Chesil beach which joins the Isle of Portland to the south of mainland Britain.

Cuspate forelands

Cuspate forelands, also known as cuspate barriers or nesses in Britain , are geographical features found on coastlines and lakeshores that are created primarily by long shore drift.