2. Study Area . 



The study area, located on the northeastern shore of the Gulf of 

 Mexico at Panama City, Florida, is bounded by the entrance to St. Andrew 

 Bay (West Pass) and Philips Inlet, 34.3 kilometers to the west (Fig. 1) . 

 The easternmost part of the study area remains in a natural state (St. 

 ^Andrews State Park) with extensive dunes backing the beach; the remainder 

 of the , area has been extensively developed with motels, condominixoms , and 

 support facilities occupying most of the beach front. 



Figure 1. Study area, depicting transect and station locations in the 

 Gulf of Mexico between West Pass and Philips Inlet. 



.The beaches along this part of the Gulf of Mexico have moderate wave 

 energy with intensity increasing from east to west (Price, 1954; Tanner, 

 1960). The shoreline is fronted by two prominent offshore sandbars. The 

 inner bar lies 23 to 91 meters offshore and is often sinuous and broken. 

 The second bar, about 244 meters offshore, is continuous and uninterrupted. 

 The depth of the first bar is generally less than 1.5 meters; the depth 

 of the second bar is 3 to 4 meters. Just beyond the second bar the bottom 

 slopes rapidly to about 9 to 10 meters. This slope continues to about 18 

 meters and then becomes more gradual. The continental shelf in this area 

 is not nearly as wide as it is in most areas of the Gulf of Mexico. 



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