Coastal Landscapes: Coasts, Erosion and Deposition Assessment 2.

1
Questions
1a) There are rocks that are being exposed at low tide at the west, which may be the wave
cut platform formed at the bottom by the erosion of the High Cragg Cliff.
1b) A spit named the Long Spit has been formed at the east, and this could be formed as a
result of the transportation and deposition of sand along the coastline.
2a) The High Cragg Cliff started to form when destructive waves attacked the bottom of the
rock face at the west between the high and low water marks, and undercut it through
hydraulic action and abrasion to form a wave cut notch. As this notch got deeper through
erosion, the initial overhanging cliff became more unsupported and eventually collapsed.
After the waves had removed any rock debris left, they began to undercut the new cliff face
by erosion, and the continual processes of wave erosion and cliff collapse led to the cliff
gradually retreating inland along with the coastline. As a result of this formation, a gently
sloping area made of rocks called a wave cut platform was left at the bottom of this
retreating cliff and can only be covered at high tide but exposed at low tide.
2b) Firstly, material including sand was transported along the coastline by longshore drift
and deposited where there was a bend in the coastline or a river mouth occurred. This sand
was gradually deposited in this area to form a ridge which extended into the sea, and caused
fresh water and seawater to be trapped behind it while it was forming. As this ridge kept
extending into more open and deeper water, the different directions that the waves and
wind were coming from caused the end of its tip to curve so that the Long Spit was formed
at the east. The water that was trapped behind was in a sheltered area, and therefore this
led to the creation of a saltmarsh due to the deposition of mud and silt.
3) In order to prevent the destruction of the High Cragg Cliff, sea walls can be built at the
foot of the cliff to help in stopping the waves from reaching it. Another option to consider is
to use rip rap, which are large boulders that can also be placed at the cliff’s foot since they
will force any waves approaching the cliff to break and dissipate their energy so that it is
protected from further wave erosion.
4) One of the ways to protect the remaining sand from being washed away is to use beach
nourishment in which sand or shingle can be added to the remaining part of the beach for it
to become larger and to help it absorb more wave energy so that the coastline can be
protected. Another way of protecting the beach is to build groynes along the beach at right
angles so that more sediment and sand can be trapped to increase the beach in width, and
help it in absorbing more wave energy.
5) This is because there is no sand that is being constantly transported by longshore drift and
deposited to extend the ridge of the spit, which means that the backwash from the waves
will wash the sand from the spit away and cause it to eventually disappear as the process of
longshore drift continues along the coast.
6) I believe that it was the wrong decision to save the High Cragg Castle because it was
easier to evacuate any tourists or visitors who were exploring that castle a few weeks before
the cliff was going to possibly collapse. Although it may have been a historic site, it would
not affect many people’s lives since not as many people would go to visit it as much as the
beach near Troser and not many people live near this castle on the cliff, which means that
less people would lose their homes. In addition, it was the wrong decision as saving this
castle resulted in the destruction of the beach near Troser. As the beach was a tourist
attraction, this may have led to the downfall of employment rates within the town of Troser
with less visitors, and therefore more people may have less resources and basic needs
available for them to use. Finally, it may have been the wrong decision since it also caused
the marshes behind the Long Spit to be flooded. This may have led to a loss of shelter for the
migratory geese, and therefore a decrease in biodiversity and a further decrease in the
number of tourists including birdwatchers in that area.