a. Breaker Height . Breaker height was measured during the summer 

 period by a swimmer using a 3-meter rod graduated in 2-centimeter inter- 

 vals . Measurements were taken at the location of the breaking waves . 

 During the winter period breaker height was measured by 250- centimeter- 

 long fenceposts, extending seaward from the beach face, and marked with 

 fluorescent paint at 5-centimeter intervals. Every 2 hours, about 5 to 



10 successive wave crests were measured and the average value was recorded. 

 The mean breaker height for the summer period was 51.8 centimeters, with 

 a minimum of centimeter recorded on several occasions and a maximum 

 of 183 centimeters measured during the passage of an offshore low-pressure 

 system. A mean breaker height of 52.4 centimeters was recorded during 

 the winter period, with extremes of and 152 centimeters. Only during 

 extreme storm conditions were waves observed to break on the offshore 

 bar located about 450 meters seaward of the low tide terrace. 



Wave steepness was calculated from the equations Hb/Tbv'gh", where 

 Hb is mean breaker height, Tb is the mean wave period, and h is the 

 breaker depth. 



b. Breaker Depth . Breaker depth is defined in this study as the 

 distance from the bottom to a line midway between the trough and crest 

 of the wave in the breaker zone. Breaker depths were measured for 5 to 

 10 waves every 2 hours during the study periods. The graduated 3-meter 

 rod was used for measurements during the summer (and the winter period 

 when practical). Measurements during adverse winter conditions were 

 made with the 250- centimeter- long fenceposts used in the breaker height 

 measurements. In the summer period the mean breaker depth was 45.5 

 centimeters, with a maximum of 130 centimeters and a minimum of cen- 

 timeter. Breaker depth was measured frequently during surging wave con- 

 ditions at high tide. The winter mean breaker depth was 51.4 centimeters, 

 with a maximum of 180 centimeters and a minimum of centimeter. 



c. Wave Period . Wave period was measured as the time in seconds 

 necessary for two successive wave crests to pass a stationary point. 

 In the summer a swimmer with a staff was used as the stationary point; 

 in the winter, poles in the surf were used as reference points. The 

 period was computed five times every 2 hours for 11 successive wave 

 crests. On several occasions, two distinct wave families with different 

 periods were observed during a shift in wind direction- Periods for 

 both sets of waves were measured; however, only the wave period most 

 influential on longshore drift and sediment transport was used in the 

 final data analyses. Summer minimum and maximum wave periods were 4.7 

 and 12 seconds, with a mean of 8.9 seconds. A winter mean of 8.8 

 seconds was recorded; extreme values were 2„8 and 13.5 seconds. 



d. Breaker Types . The following classification of breaker types is 

 based on definitions used by the Coastal Engineering Research Center 

 (CERC) in their Littoral Environment Observation (LEO) program. Detailed 

 definitions are given in Allen (19 72). 



