What Makes a Good Beach?

A beach is usually a gently sloped, sandy strip of land that borders a body of water, lake, or ocean. Sand is used to cover the beach. Beach materials like pebbles, stones, sand, and shells cover irregularly shaped beaches. Most natural beach materials formed by weathering and erosion over time are relatively impervious to chemicals and other contaminants.

Sand serves as a medium for various activities like erosion, wave action, tides, and movement. Seawater, saltwater, rainwater, and melted snow combine to form the underlying strata. As these materials move downward over time, they erode into the substrate and compact into layers that gradually deepen and spread out over the entire beach area. As layers of compacting sands block light, waves cause erosion and surfaction, which create wakes, jagged lumps, and irregular patterns on the beach.

Ocean sediment and other pollutants can gradually build up on a beach. Over time, the mass of sediment added to the beach will erode into the substrate as the sands spread out from the sea bed. This type of beach erosion is called vertical beach erosion. On horizontal beach design, waves add additional power to coastal currents, causing further erosion and surfaction.

Although some beaches may be completely impervious to waves, they may not have the depth or width of sand required for good surfcasting. Low slope areas near the seashore are often difficult to surf due to steep slopes. In these cases, smaller, rounder pieces of sand, often picked up from local beach vendors, are used. Beach surfers can also help control erosion by helping to deposit sand more quickly in low-sloping areas.

There are many popular destinations for those who like to spend their vacation sunning themselves on the beach. Florida and Arizona are both popular locations, with thousands of beach lovers visiting each year. California is famous for its large number of small, sandy beaches surrounded by lush green vegetation. Florida is known for its close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, making it home to many beach lovers.

Pools in Florida often have a rocky beach front where people go to lounge and spend the day. rocky beaches are also common in southern California. The rocky beach, which is made of sandy beach material that is compacted enough to not form too much drag on the sand, is ideal for surf boarders and skiers. A rocky beach is also great for children to play on, and many beaches have amenities available to accommodate the needs of children, including swings, ladders, slides, and small slides.