Beach

A beach is a shallow coastal or riparian strips of sand or gravel.

A beach of coarse to fine sand in different colors is called a sand beach. Most of these beaches are brown or white. There are also beaches of black (on volcanic islands) and (very rarely) pink sand.

Unlike beaches of pebbles or gravel ( shingle beach ) (especially white ) sand beaches are considered important feature for resorts and resort hotels. Often found on sandy beaches sand dunes.

The sandy beach on the island of Usedom, with well 42 km the longest beach on the German Baltic coast, and the longest continuous sand beach in Europe. Sylt's west coast is nearly 40 km the longest beach on the North Sea coast.

Formation of beaches

Beaches are usually on a coast to sea, or forming the bank of a river and therefore subject to the influence of the water flow. Thus, sand or rock can washed up on beaches or be removed from the country. Beaches where the sand is washed, usually have wide sandbanks. In the mining area of ​​the ocean current to beaches characterized by a gentle slope waste from the sea.

At the German North Sea coast of the sandy beach of Amrum located in Anspülbereich. It is equipped with a width of nearly two kilometers, one of the widest beaches in Europe. The beach of the neighboring island of Sylt is degraded and has a considerable loss of land annually. This process is countered through beach nourishment by sand from the seabed removed with dredgers and is flushed back to the beach via pipelines.

Many sandy beaches of the Mediterranean area suffer from fading. Due to the reduction on the one hand is the fact that the man - has leveled the plant -covered sand dunes to vegetation Wi flat beach erosion and consequently used - with the intention to create more beach area. The second reason for the loss is the beach warming, the sea level rises, which in turn gradually erodes the sand stock. A third hitherto little-noticed reason is the progressive degradation of sand from rivers and seas. While the sand from the rivers for a long time could guarantee a natural supply, now a defect did. The reason for this is once the dams that hold back the sand, on the other, by excavating sand from the streams (of which one is largely deviated due to the increase in flooding that this contributed by itself ). But it is much more serious consequences of the removal of sand, especially right near the coast from the sea. Because the sand at a point is once removed, begins new nachzurutschen. And so it is that all the beaches, now even whole islands disappear.

One example is the " in-crowd - beach " Macchiatonda the Tuscan Capalbio, who still was in 1975 about 50 meters wide and 2005 ( because of the aforementioned factors ) had a residual of 10 meters width.

Also a great impact on the erosion acting on the beaches, has the building close to the beach. Thus, for example, " freedom of movement " restricted, and the sand can not easily pursue, which is the sea offer an increased attack surface and the beach begins to shrink its natural walking sequence.

Water waves on the beach

Water waves breaking on the beach with an average water depth, approximately equal to the wave height. Case of a lateral flow coated to the surf and the sand between the flooded area of breaking waves and shore of a groove. You have the beach, first pass through a deeper area to get to the waves.

On the left, there is low tide. Sandbank and open on one side groove are clearly visible. At high tide the sand is washed over. In the schematic drawing on the right W denotes the accrual of waves. The water does not proceed uniformly, but follows the groove A. The cross flow is superimposed on the discharge to flow south, which flows away from the beach. In high waves, it is difficult for swimmers to get within such a zone on the beach. In this case, you should swim parallel to the beach, get it in other places to try again.

Tourism

On a sandy beach, many people spend their summer holidays. The goals of mass tourism beaches often offer various options for recreation and sports. Swimming, sunbathing and beach sports such as beach volleyball and beach soccer are mentioned as an example. On nude beaches it is also unclothed common and accepted. One of the many attractions, especially for children, is to build sand castles and other constructs. At the German North and Baltic Sea coast, the typical beach chairs are set up in places.

The length and width, and the distance be given to the hotel in travel brochures as a quality criterion mostly. " Unspoilt beach " for example, means that the sand there is not cleaned. The sandy beach is an important postcards and photo opportunity, especially often used in advertising as a backdrop.

Beach gallery

Dirty beach near Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Black beach of Kamari, Santorini

Populated beach in Westerland, Sylt

Outrigger canoe on Diani Beach, Kenya

High Summery beach in Viña del Mar, Chile, in February

Beach in the Bay of Kahana on Oahu, Hawaii

Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia

Sand beach on Usedom

Pebble beach on the Golden Horn, Croatia

Sylt beach on the Red Cliff near Kampen

Wave at the beach Jagodna, Hvar.

Panoramic view

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