Coastal landscapes are formed by a combination of erosion, transportation and deposition processes. They each have distinctive features which can be identified on an OS map.
Depositional features produced by longshore drift include spits, bars, and tombolos.
The diagram shows the building of a spit by longshore drift across the mouth of a river.
Sandspits often have a curved or hooked end as a secondary wind and wave direction curves the end of the spit as waves strike from this second and different direction. A series of such hooks can develop over time.
The spit creates an area of calmer water, sheltered by the spit. A lagoon, salt marsh and finally dry land can develop in this sheltered area.