The barrier beaches, which line the south shore of Long Island are in a constant state of change due to factor's such as wind, tides and wave action. "The term 'barrier' identifies one that protects other features, such as lagoons, salt marshes, and bays from direct attack from the open ocean" (Leatherman 1). The pebbles and sand of which these beaches are made constantly lifted and deposited in other areas. Currents created by tides and waves carry sediment and deposit it on beaches and in shallow water areas along the shoreline. In this paper I will discuss wave activity, the most prevalent factor of beach erosion. In addition, I will examine the roll of sand dunes and other ways of preventing erosion.

The problem which many Long Island beaches face today is the element of erosion. More sediment is carried away from the shoreline than is deposited. These elements of nature make the barrier beaches very unstable features of Long Island's south shore. Wave action, tides, and winds constantly change beaches and shorelines, and are the cause of the many devastating effects of erosion.

The barrier beach which I have chosen to focus my research on is TOBAY beach, a beach

Critics say the groins and their longer sister structure, Jetties, tend to trap sand moving in currents running parallel to the shore and dam it on one side of the structure, creating a fat beach there and a skinny, sand starved beach on the other side (New York Times).

The final and most recent development in shoreline stabilization is known as GEOTUBE. The GEOTUBE is a "huge fabric tube pumped full of wet sand, creating a temporary barrier" (New York Times). It is placed underneath the existing sand dunes. It has primarily been used to save highways which run along many coastlines near beaches.

In effect sea walls cause erosion to occur on the beach adjacent to the sea wall.

In addition to the protection provided by the dunes, many man-made structures provide alternatives. The practice of creating these structures is known as shoreline stabilization. The most common examples of these structures are jetties and groins. Standing on the beach, I recognized that Jetties seem to prevent the occurrence of Long Shore Drifts. A wave it only as wide as the Jetties and Groins allow them to be. A groin is a shore protection structure built perpendicular to the shore to trap sediment and retard shore erosion" (Leatherman 51). Time has proven, however, that groins and jetties have negative aspects. An article in The New York Times states:

Some common words found in the essay are:
Beach TOBAY, Barrier Beaches, York Times, American Beachgrass, American Beahgrass, Growing Island, Jetties Groins, Times Critics, GEOTUBE GEOTUBE, YORK TIMES, wave action, york times, barrier beaches, sand dunes, waves break, barrier island, beach erosion, waves approach shoreline, shoreline stabilization, tides waves, carry sediment, aspect wave action, weather creates waves, barrier island migration,
Approximate Word count = 1639
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)