Figure 4-25. Coasts in vicinity of New York Bight. 



In places, the straight segments of shoreline cut across preexisting 

 topography. Elsewhere, the shoreline segments are separated from the irregu- 

 lar mainland by wide lagoons. The fact that the shore is nearly straight 

 across both mainland and irregular bays is evidence of headland erosion, 

 accompanied by longshore transport which has carried sand along the coast to 

 supply the barriers and spits extending across the bays. The primary agent 

 producing this erosion and transport is the action of waves impinging on the 

 shore. 



Littoral transport is the movement of sedimentary material in the littoral 

 zone by waves and currents. The littoral zone extends from the shoreline to 

 just beyond the seawardmost breakers. 



Littoral transport is classified as onshore-offshore transport or as 

 longshore transport. Onshore-offshore transport has an average net direction 



4-57 



