Virtual Field Trips
East Head
9. The Hook
The very distinct hook is a natural feature
of sand and shingle spits.
Click to discover how a spit is
formed
Aerial Photo of the Hook
Formation of the Hook
A hook is formed when storm waves deposit material on the sheltered side of the end of a spit, causing it to migrate landwards. This is process is enhanced when the oblique waves that cause longshore drift swing round the end as they meet open water.
This could be a problem if there was not heavy deposition to compensate for it.
Saltmarsh
Saltmarsh
Snow Creek saltmarsh fills most of the sheltered area behind the spit.
Saltmarsh
Monitoring at Low Tide
Monitoring
Parts of the saltmarsh have also been destroyed by trampling and so it is constantly monitored.
There are some interesting patterns of sediment deposition in this area. The north-easterly wind causes sand to be deposited at the back of East Head and a process of 'infilling' is taking place. Some sand is even beginning to cover parts of the saltmarsh.
Monitoring at High Tide
There appears to be a slipper limpet 'graveyard' quite close to the hook. These light shells are moved around by currents and deposited in one place with the ebb and flow of the tide.
Limpet shells
Slipper Limpets (Crepidula fornicata)
Slipper Limpets were accidently introduced to this country from North America at the end of the 19th century. They are a very dominant species on the south coast and have caused a decline in oysters because both are filter feeders and share the same food source.
This creature has very strange breeding habits that you can read about if here
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