Sea Stacks

Durdle Door, Dorset England, a sea arch, the predecessor to a sea stack in coastal evolution.Credit: Britannica

Sea stacks are formed by differential erosion caused by wave refraction. As waves approach a headland, they curve around the surface, focusing erosional energy on the side of the protruding headland. This initially creates a cave-like depression on either side, eventually creating an arch like the one above. When the arch collapses, the section separated from the mainland is called a sea stack.

Map of Coastal Landforms

Other Shoreline Landforms