BACKSHORE - That zone of the shore or beach lying between the fore- 

 shore and the coast line and acted upon by waves only during 

 severe storms^ especially when combined with exceptionally high 

 water. Also BACKBEACHo (See Figure A-l) 



BACKWASH = (1) See BACKRUSH| (2) Water or waves thrown back by an 

 obstruction such as a ship., breakwater^ cliffy etc, 



BANK - (l) The rising ground bordering a lake;, river, or sea, on a 

 river designated as right or left as it would appear facing 

 doimstreams (2) An elevation of the sea floor of large area, 

 surroiinded by deeper water j, but safe for surface navigationj 

 a submerged plateau or shelf^ a shoal^ or shallow, 



BAR ~ An offshore ridge or mound of sand^ gravely or other uncon- 

 solidated material submerged at least at high tide, especially 

 at the mouth of a river or estuary, or lying a short distance 

 from and usually parallel to^ the beacho (See Figure A-2 and A-9) 



BAR, BAYMOUTH - A bar extending partially or entirely across the 

 mouth of a bay» (See Figure A-9) 



BAR^ CUSPATE - A crescent shaped bar uniting with shore at each end. 

 It may be formed by a single spit growing from shore turning 

 back to again meet the shore,, or by two spits growing from 

 shore uniting to form a bar of sharply cuspate form» (See Figure A-9) 



BARRIER BEACH - A bar essentially parallel to the shore, the crest 

 of which is above high water. Also OFFSHORE BARRIER, 

 (See Figure A-9) 



BARRIER REEF - A reef which roughly parallels land but is some 

 distance offshore, with deeper water intervening,. 



BASIN, BOAT - A natur-ally or artificially enclosed or nearly enclosed 

 body of water where small craft may lie, 



BAT - A recess in the shore or an inlet of a sea or lake between ttiro 



capes or headlands., not as large as a gulf but larger than a cove. 

 See also BIGHT ^^ EMBATMENT, (See Figure A-9) 



BAYMOUTH BAR - A bar extending partially or entirely across the mouth 

 of a bay, (See Figure A<=9) 



BAYOU - A minor sluggish waterway or estuarial creek, tributary to, 

 or connecting, other stream.s or bodies of water. Its course 

 is usually through lowlands or swamps. 



A-2 



