A Beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of a body
of water. It usually consists of loose particles which are often
composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, or cobble.
The particles of which the Beach is composed can sometimes instead have biological origins, such as shell fragments or coralline algae fragments. These geomorphic features compose what is called the Beach profile. The Beach profile changes seasonally due to the change in wave energy experienced during summer and winter months. The Beach
profile is higher during the summer due to the gentle wave action
during this season. The lower energy waves deposit sediment on the Beach berm and dune, adding to the Beach profile. Conversely, the Beach
profile is lower in the winter due to the increased wave energy
associated with storms. Higher energy waves erode sediment from the Beach berm and dune, and deposit it off shore, forming longshore bars. The removal of sediment from the Beach berm and dune decreases the Beach profile.