Coastal Erosional Forms and Processes

Wayne Engstrom
California State University, Fullerton
Department of Geography
P.O. Box 6846
Fullerton, CA 92834-6846

Slide Show!
  1. Quarrying of blocks of jointed granite by wave action in Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine.



  2. Spray Zone weathering of a shore platform, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.




  3. Salt crystal formation in spray weathering zone, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine.





  4. Bioerosion of rock possibly by a rock-boring clam (Penitella penita), Montana De Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo, CA.




  5. Straight cliffs cut into the Del Mar formation, Torrey sandstone, and Bay Point formation in Torrey Pines State Reserve, Del Mar, CA.




  6. Cliffs of Moher, Liscannor, County Clare, Ireland.





  7. Differential erosion of beds striking normal to the shore at Montana De Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo, CA (#1).





  8. Differential erosion of beds striking normal to the shore at Montana De Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo, CA (#2).





  9. Notch cut into base of andesite cliff, Laguna Beach, CA.






  10. Intertidal shore platform near Neptune, OR.






  11. High tide platform cut into andesite, Laguna Beach, CA.





  12. Stacks and arch at the east end of Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, Ventura, CA.





  13. Stacks and sea cliffs at Tomales Point, Point Reyes National Park, Inverness, CA.





  14. Sea arches at Point Lobos State Park, Carmel, CA.





  15. Sea cave in Monterey shale in Montana De Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo, CA.





  16. Marine terrace at Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, Ventura, CA.





  17. Marine terrace at Montana De Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo, CA.





  18. Marine terrace at Fort Ross State Park, Fort Ross, CA.





  19. Cross-section through lowest marine terrace showing fossil shore platform and coverhead at Montana De Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo, CA.




  20. Base of Nestor marine terrace (ca 125,000 years BP) showing marine gravels and fossil shells at Torrey Pines State Reserve, Del Mar, CA.

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