Glossary of Ocean Terms -- Beach-Net

Beach-Net!'s
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Fetch

The distance over water in which waves are generated by a wind having a rather constant direction and speed.

Flood Tide

The period of tide between low water and high water. A rising tide.

Foredune

The front dune immediately behind the backshore.

Foreshore

The steeper part of the beach that extends from the low water mark to the upper limit of high tide. The beach face.

Groin

A narrow, elongated coastal-engineering structure built on the beach perpendicular to the trend of the beach. Its purpose is to trap longshore drift to build up a section of beach.

Headland

An area of high elevation more resistant to erosion than surrounding areas and less susceptible to flooding. Headlands can supply sand and gravel to beaches.

High Tide

The maximum elevation reached by each rising tide.

Hurricane

An intense tropical cyclone with winds that move counterclockwise around a low-pressure system. Maximum sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or greater.