1. River Erosion
Erosion shapes the land in different ways as the river moves from its source to its mouth:
Near the source of a river, in the upper course, erosion is vertical (downward). This is because the water is being pulled downwards by gravity. This forms deep V-shaped valleys.
Near the mouth of a river, in the lower course, erosion is lateral (horizontal or sideways). This forms a wide river channel.

2. Wave Erosion
Wave erosion occurs when the wind moves over the ocean to produce waves and currents which erode the adjacent land.
Wave action is the greatest during storms and the least when the weather is calm.
Abrasion is the grinding and rubbing action of water loaded with sand and rock fragments which can wear away the surface of rocks. Waves can crack rocks by flinging other rocks against them, and once a crack has a been formed, it can be widened as water and smaller rocks are forced into it. Over time, the destructive power of water can transform a rocky cliff into rubble.

3. Flatrock

4. Wave Movement
Water waves are characterized by their height, their length, and their period. The wave height is the distance between the trough (lowest part) and crest (highest part) of the wave. The wave length is the distance between wave crests. The wave period is the time for two consecutive crests to pass a point.

6. Off Shore Supply Boat

7. Refraction
Refraction is the bending of wave fronts as they approach the shore.
When a wave approaches the shore at an angle, the near-shore stretch of wave front reaches the shallow water first and is, therefore, slowed down first.
This decrease in speed causes the wave front to bend or refract because the deeper water portion of the wave continues to move at its original speed.
As a result, the waves near shore tend to approach the coast nearly head-on while those in deeper water continue along their original course.
Wave refraction has its greatest effect on irregular shorelines with deep bays and projecting headlands.

8. “Jaws”

10. Sea Spit A spit is a deposition landform found off coasts.
A spit is a type of bar or beach that develops where a re-entrant occurs, such as at a cove, bay, ria, or river mouth. Spits are formed by the movement of sediment (typically sand) along a shore by a process known as longshore drift. Where the direction of the shore turns inland (reenters) the longshore current spreads out or dissipates. No longer able to carry the full load, much of the sediment is dropped. This causes a bar to build out from the shore, eventually becoming a spit.

11. Long Point located on the north shore of Lake Erie

12. Examples of wave erosion formations
Sea cliffs form when a rocky shore erodes at approximately the same rate throughout an area. This results in a steep walled structure. The cliff moves landward as the waves attack its base.

13. Examples of wave erosion formations
Sea caves form when waves attack weak portions of a cliff. The pounding and cutting of the waves on the weak rock cause large holes to be cut from the cliff. Notice the small sea cave in the picture above.
Anthony Island, Trinity Bay

14. Examples of wave erosion formations
Sea arches are formed when waves cut completely through a sea cave. This can form a natural arch or bridge.
Cape Broyle

16. Examples of wave erosion formations
Sea stacks are formed when sea arches are eroded through the center causing its middle to collapse. The remaining columns become sea stacks. Eventually the stacks are eroded and they are barely visible above the water.

17. Headland Erosion