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54-559: Clearwater Beach is characterized by white sand beaches stretching for 2.5 miles (4 km) along the Gulf and sits on a barrier island . It has a full marina on the Intracoastal Waterway side and is linked on the south by a short bridge to another barrier island called Sand Key , where Sand Key Park is located. The area offers shopping, restaurants, and activities such as parasailing, jet ski rentals, boat tours (with

108-423: A beach depends on whether the waves are constructive or destructive, and whether the material is sand or shingle. Waves are constructive if the period between their wave crests is long enough for the breaking water to recede and the sediment to settle before the succeeding wave arrives and breaks. Fine sediment transported from lower down the beach profile will compact if the receding water percolates or soaks into

162-409: A beach tends to indicate the energy of the waves and wind in the locality. Constructive waves move material up the beach while destructive waves move the material down the beach. During seasons when destructive waves are prevalent, the shallows will carry an increased load of sediment and organic matter in suspension. On sandy beaches, the turbulent backwash of destructive waves removes material forming

216-532: A common sighting of dolphins in the Gulf waters), miniature golf, fishing charters, and "pirate ship" cruises. Clearwater has frequently been ranked one of the best beaches in the United States . Its Sandpearl resort was named one of the best beach resorts in the U.S. In January 2013, Clearwater Beach was awarded the designation of Florida's Best Beach Town by a USA Today reader poll ranking 10 Florida beach destinations. In February 2019, Clearwater Beach

270-463: A filter for runoff from the coastal plain. If the runoff is naturally dispersed along the beach, water borne silt and organic matter will be retained on the land and will feed the flora in the coastal area. Runoff that is dispersed along the beach will tend to percolate through the beach and may emerge from the beach at low tide. The retention of the freshwater may also help to maintain underground water reserves and will resist salt water incursion. If

324-401: A gently sloping beach. On pebble and shingle beaches the swash is dissipated more quickly because the large particle size allows greater percolation , thereby reducing the power of the backwash, and the beach remains steep. Compacted fine sediments will form a smooth beach surface that resists wind and water erosion. During hot calm seasons, a crust may form on the surface of ocean beaches as

378-492: A lesser root ball. Erosion of beaches can expose less resilient soils and rocks to wind and wave action leading to undermining of coastal headlands eventually resulting in catastrophic collapse of large quantities of overburden into the shallows. This material may be distributed along the beach front leading to a change in the habitat as sea grasses and corals in the shallows may be buried or deprived of light and nutrients. Coastal areas settled by man inevitably become subject to

432-465: A necessary and permanent feature of beach maintenance. During beach nourishment activities, care must be taken to place new sediments so that the new sediments compact and stabilize before aggressive wave or wind action can erode them. Material that is concentrated too far down the beach may form a temporary groyne that will encourage scouring behind it. Sediments that are too fine or too light may be eroded before they have compacted or been integrated into

486-468: A rapid cycle of growth throughout the 1850s and 1860s. The growth was intensified by the practice among the Lancashire cotton mill owners of closing the factories for a week every year to service and repair machinery. These became known as wakes weeks . Each town's mills would close for a different week, allowing Blackpool to manage a steady and reliable stream of visitors over a prolonged period in

540-435: A shoreline subject to constant erosion and loss of foreshore. This is often required where the flow of new sediment caused by the longshore current has been disrupted by construction of harbors, breakwaters, causeways or boat ramps, creating new current flows that scour the sand from behind these structures and deprive the beach of restorative sediments. If the causes of the erosion are not addressed, beach nourishment can become

594-502: A significant summer wet season , as nearly two-thirds of the annual precipitation falls in the months of June through September. The area is listed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as being in hardiness zone 10 , which is about the northern limit of where coconut palms and royal palms can be grown. Highs usually range between 67 to 89 °F (19 to 32 °C) year-round. Clearwater Beach

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648-422: A tidal surge or tsunami which causes significant coastal flooding , substantial quantities of material may be eroded from the coastal plain or dunes behind the berm by receding water. This flow may alter the shape of the coastline, enlarge the mouths of rivers and create new deltas at the mouths of streams that had not been powerful enough to overcome longshore movement of sediment. The line between beach and dune

702-883: Is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock , such as sand , gravel , shingle , pebbles , etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shells or coralline algae . Sediments settle in different densities and structures, depending on the local wave action and weather , creating different textures, colors and gradients or layers of material. Though some beaches form on inland freshwater locations such as lakes and rivers , most beaches are in coastal areas where wave or current action deposits and reworks sediments. Erosion and changing of beach geologies happens through natural processes, like wave action and extreme weather events . Where wind conditions are correct, beaches can be backed by coastal dunes which offer protection and regeneration for

756-438: Is a significant source of sand particles. Some species of fish that feed on algae attached to coral outcrops and rocks can create substantial quantities of sand particles over their lifetime as they nibble during feeding, digesting the organic matter , and discarding the rock and coral particles which pass through their digestive tracts. The composition of the beach depends upon the nature and quantity of sediments upstream of

810-422: Is approximately 20 miles (30 km) from Tampa International Airport and 25 miles (40 km) from downtown Tampa . St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is also within close proximity of Clearwater Beach. The Clearwater Jolley Trolley has provided transportation up and down the beach since 1982. It currently runs to North Clearwater Beach and down to Sand Key, including Island Estates. Mandalay Avenue

864-798: Is available nearby which parallels the Clearwater Memorial Causeway to the city. Just up the causeway from the Beach, in the Island Estates area, is the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (home of Winter , the bottlenose dolphin featured in the movie Dolphin Tale ), as well as a grocery store and other amenities. 27°58′48″N 82°49′38″W  /  27.979931°N 82.827232°W  / 27.979931; -82.827232 Beach A beach

918-452: Is difficult to define in the field. Over any significant period of time, sediment is always being exchanged between them. The drift line (the high point of material deposited by waves) is one potential demarcation. This would be the point at which significant wind movement of sand could occur, since the normal waves do not wet the sand beyond this area. However, the drift line is likely to move inland under assault by storm waves. Beaches are

972-563: Is located just south of Pier 60. There are drinking fountains, shower nozzles for beachcombers to rinse the sand off, and bicycle racks, as part of the upgrade. It also is a great spot for fishing. Beach "renourishment" efforts such as dune restoration enhance the area's natural beauty along a wide curving sidewalk. In addition, directly across from the pier is the Clearwater Municipal Marina, which offers deep sea fishing and boating activities for visitors. In July 2008,

1026-455: Is the importing and deposition of sand or other sediments in an effort to restore a beach that has been damaged by erosion. Beach nourishment often involves excavation of sediments from riverbeds or sand quarries. This excavated sediment may be substantially different in size and appearance to the naturally occurring beach sand. In extreme cases, beach nourishment may involve placement of large pebbles or rocks in an effort to permanently restore

1080-504: Is the main drag on the north end of the beach with Gulfview Boulevard being so on the south. Both areas feature a variety of businesses. Pier 60, named for State Road 60 which terminates in Clearwater Beach, is a central spot for beachgoers and has a playground, a snack bar with attached souvenir shop, and a long fishing pier. There are professional entertainers who perform on the pier every day, along with children's acts. It's

1134-452: The seashore is most commonly associated with the word beach , beaches are also found by lakes and alongside large rivers. Beach may refer to: The former are described in detail below; the larger geological units are discussed elsewhere under bars . There are several conspicuous parts to a beach that relate to the processes that form and shape it. The part mostly above water (depending upon tide), and more or less actively influenced by

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1188-487: The 1720s; it had been a fashionable spa town since a stream of acidic water was discovered running from one of the cliffs to the south of the town in the 17th century. The first rolling bathing machines were introduced by 1735. The opening of the resort in Brighton and its reception of royal patronage from King George IV , extended the seaside as a resort for health and pleasure to the much larger London market, and

1242-435: The beach and into the sea. If the flow is constant, runoff from cleared land arriving at the beach head will tend to deposit this material into the sand changing its color, odor and fauna. The concentration of pedestrian and vehicular traffic accessing the beach for recreational purposes may cause increased erosion at the access points if measures are not taken to stabilize the beach surface above high-water mark. Recognition of

1296-457: The beach as a popular leisure resort from the mid-19th century was the first manifestation of what is now the global tourist industry. The first seaside resorts were opened in the 18th century for the aristocracy, who began to frequent the seaside as well as the then fashionable spa towns, for recreation and health. One of the earliest such seaside resorts, was Scarborough in Yorkshire during

1350-620: The beach became a centre for upper-class pleasure and frivolity. This trend was praised and artistically elevated by the new romantic ideal of the picturesque landscape; Jane Austen 's unfinished novel Sanditon is an example of that. Later, Queen Victoria 's long-standing patronage of the Isle of Wight and Ramsgate in Kent ensured that a seaside residence was considered as a highly fashionable possession for those wealthy enough to afford more than one home. The extension of this form of leisure to

1404-401: The beach head, they may erode the beach creating a lagoon or delta. Dense vegetation tends to absorb rainfall reducing the speed of runoff and releasing it over longer periods of time. Destruction by burning or clearance of the natural vegetation tends to increase the speed and erosive power of runoff from rainfall. This runoff will tend to carry more silt and organic matter from the land onto

1458-523: The beach profile is higher in summer. The gentle wave action during this season tends to transport sediment up the beach towards the berm where it is deposited and remains while the water recedes. Onshore winds carry it further inland forming and enhancing dunes. Conversely, the beach profile is lower in the storm season (winter in temperate areas) due to the increased wave energy, and the shorter periods between breaking wave crests. Higher energy waves breaking in quick succession tend to mobilise sediment from

1512-404: The beach, and the speed of flow and turbidity of water and wind. Sediments are moved by moving water and wind according to their particle size and state of compaction. Particles tend to settle and compact in still water. Once compacted, they are more resistant to erosion . Established vegetation (especially species with complex network root systems) will resist erosion by slowing the fluid flow at

1566-1686: The beach. However, these natural forces have become more extreme due to climate change , permanently altering beaches at very rapid rates. Some estimates describe as much as 50 percent of the earth's sandy beaches disappearing by 2100 due to climate-change driven sea level rise. Sandy beaches occupy about one third of global coastlines. These beaches are popular for recreation , playing important economic and cultural roles—often driving local tourism industries. To support these uses, some beaches have human-made infrastructure, such as lifeguard posts, changing rooms , showers, shacks and bars. They may also have hospitality venues (such as resorts, camps, hotels, and restaurants) nearby or housing, both for permanent and seasonal residents. Human forces have significantly changed beaches globally: direct impacts include bad construction practices on dunes and coastlines, while indirect human impacts include water pollution , plastic pollution and coastal erosion from sea level rise and climate change . Some coastal management practices are designed to preserve or restore natural beach processes, while some beaches are actively restored through practices like beach nourishment . Wild beaches, also known as undeveloped or undiscovered beaches, are not developed for tourism or recreation. Preserved beaches are important biomes with important roles in aquatic or marine biodiversity, such as for breeding grounds for sea turtles or nesting areas for seabirds or penguins . Preserved beaches and their associated dune are important for protection from extreme weather for inland ecosystems and human infrastructure. Although

1620-413: The beach. Compacted sediment is more resistant to movement by turbulent water from succeeding waves. Conversely, waves are destructive if the period between the wave crests is short. Sediment that remains in suspension when the following wave crest arrives will not be able to settle and compact and will be more susceptible to erosion by longshore currents and receding tides. The nature of sediments found on

1674-452: The character of underwater flora and fauna in the coastal shallows. Burning or clearance of vegetation on the land adjacent to the beach head, for farming and residential development, changes the surface wind patterns, and exposes the surface of the beach to wind erosion. Farming and residential development are also commonly associated with changes in local surface water flows. If these flows are concentrated in stormwater drains emptying onto

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1728-444: The dangers of loss of beach front flora has caused many local authorities responsible for managing coastal areas to restrict beach access points by physical structures or legal sanctions, and fence off foredunes in an effort to protect the flora. These measures are often associated with the construction of structures at these access points to allow traffic to pass over or through the dunes without causing further damage. Beaches provide

1782-504: The effects of human-made structures and processes. Over long periods of time, these influences may substantially alter the shape of the coastline, and the character of the beach. Beachfront flora plays a major role in stabilizing the foredunes and preventing beach head erosion and inland movement of dunes. If flora with network root systems (creepers, grasses, and palms) are able to become established, they provide an effective coastal defense as they trap sand particles and rainwater and enrich

1836-434: The established vegetation. Foreign unwashed sediments may introduce flora or fauna that are not usually found in that locality. Brighton Beach, on the south coast of England, is a shingle beach that has been nourished with very large pebbles in an effort to withstand the erosion of the upper area of the beach. These large pebbles made the beach unwelcoming for pedestrians for a period of time until natural processes integrated

1890-417: The feature. Where wind is the force distributing the grains inland, the deposit behind the beach becomes a dune . These geomorphic features compose what is called the beach profile . The beach profile changes seasonally due to the change in wave energy experienced during summer and winter months. In temperate areas where summer is characterised by calmer seas and longer periods between breaking wave crests,

1944-450: The heat of the sun evaporates the water leaving the salt which crystallises around the sand particles. This crust forms an additional protective layer that resists wind erosion unless disturbed by animals or dissolved by the advancing tide. Cusps and horns form where incoming waves divide, depositing sand as horns and scouring out sand to form cusps. This forms the uneven face on some sand shorelines . White sand beaches look white because

1998-449: The height of the water table. Some flora naturally occurring on the beach head requires freshwater runoff from the land. Diversion of freshwater runoff into drains may deprive these plants of their water supplies and allow sea water incursion, increasing the saltiness of the groundwater. Species that are not able to survive in salt water may die and be replaced by mangroves or other species adapted to salty environments. Beach nourishment

2052-503: The long-anticipated Beach Walk project was completed, featuring a compact pedestrian zone with high-end hotels and condos. The beach is also known for its nightlife scene. Shephard's Beach Resort and the Palm Pavilion Inn are two of the area's popular night spots. There are also several Frenchy's restaurant locations and retail stores including Surf Style and Ron Jon Surf Shop . A paved bicycle trail lined by mangrove trees

2106-445: The middle and working classes began with the development of the railways in the 1840s, which offered cheap fares to fast-growing resort towns. In particular, the completion of a branch line to the small seaside town of Blackpool from Poulton led to a sustained economic and demographic boom. A sudden influx of visitors, arriving by rail, led entrepreneurs to build accommodation and create new attractions, leading to more visitors and

2160-632: The naturally occurring shingle into the pebble base. Even in Roman times, wealthy people spent their free time on the coast. They also built large villa complexes with bathing facilities (so-called maritime villas) in particularly beautiful locations. Excavations of Roman architecture can still be found today, for example on the Amalfi Coast near Naples and in Barcola in Trieste. The development of

2214-621: The permanent water forming offshore bars, lagoons or increasing the area of the beach exposed at low tide. Large and rapid movements of exposed sand can bury and smother flora in adjacent areas, aggravating the loss of habitat for fauna, and enlarging the area of instability. If there is an adequate supply of sand, and weather conditions do not allow vegetation to recover and stabilize the sediment, wind-blown sand can continue to advance, engulfing and permanently altering downwind landscapes. Sediment moved by waves or receding floodwaters can be deposited in coastal shallows, engulfing reed beds and changing

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2268-564: The quartz or eroded limestone in the sand reflects or scatters sunlight without absorbing other colors. The composition of the sand varies depending on the local minerals and geology. Some of the types of sand found in beaches around the world are: Beaches are changed in shape chiefly by the movement of water and wind. Any weather event that is associated with turbid or fast-flowing water or high winds will erode exposed beaches. Longshore currents will tend to replenish beach sediments and repair storm damage. Tidal waterways generally change

2322-415: The result of wave action by which waves or currents move sand or other loose sediments of which the beach is made as these particles are held in suspension . Alternatively, sand may be moved by saltation (a bouncing movement of large particles). Beach materials come from erosion of rocks offshore, as well as from headland erosion and slumping producing deposits of scree . A coral reef offshore

2376-412: The shallows, keeping it in suspension where it is prone to be carried along the beach by longshore currents, or carried out to sea to form longshore bars, especially if the longshore current meets an outflow from a river or flooding stream. The removal of sediment from the beach berm and dune thus decreases the beach profile. If storms coincide with unusually high tides, or with a freak wave event such as

2430-487: The shape of their adjacent beaches by small degrees with every tidal cycle. Over time these changes can become substantial leading to significant changes in the size and location of the beach. Changes in the shape of the beach may undermine the roots of large trees and other flora. Many beach adapted species (such as coconut palms) have a fine root system and large root ball which tends to withstand wave and wind action and tends to stabilize beaches better than other trees with

2484-562: The shape, profile and location of a beach within hours. Destruction of flora on the berm by the use of herbicides, excessive pedestrian or vehicle traffic, or disruption to freshwater flows may lead to erosion of the berm and dunes. While the destruction of flora may be a gradual process that is imperceptible to regular beach users, it often becomes immediately apparent after storms associated with high winds and freak wave events that can rapidly move large volumes of exposed and unstable sand, depositing them further inland, or carrying them out into

2538-420: The site of a daily event called Sunsets at Pier 60 , which includes street performers and musical acts. On the pier itself is a nightly display of goods sold by local artisans such as jewelry, candles, and other gift items. Numerous restaurants and shops can be found adjacent to the beach , whose attractiveness was greatly improved in recent years with a beautification project called Beach Walk. The Beach Walk

2592-577: The summer. A prominent feature of the resort was the promenade and the pleasure piers , where an eclectic variety of performances vied for the people's attention. In 1863, the North Pier in Blackpool was completed, rapidly becoming a centre of attraction for upper class visitors. Central Pier was completed in 1868, with a theatre and a large open-air dance floor. Many of the popular beach resorts were equipped with bathing machines , because even

2646-425: The surface flow of the runoff is diverted and concentrated by drains that create constant flows over the beach above the sea or river level, the beach will be eroded and ultimately form an inlet unless longshore flows deposit sediments to repair the breach. Once eroded, an inlet may allow tidal inflows of salt water to pollute areas inland from the beach and may also affect the quality of underground water supplies and

2700-519: The surface layer of the dunes, allowing other plant species to become established. They also protect the berm from erosion by high winds, freak waves and subsiding floodwaters. Over long periods of time, well-stabilized foreshore areas will tend to accrete, while unstabilized foreshores will tend to erode, leading to substantial changes in the shape of the coastline. These changes usually occur over periods of many years. Freak wave events such as tsunami, tidal waves, and storm surges may substantially alter

2754-657: The surface layer. When affected by moving water or wind, particles that are eroded and held in suspension will increase the erosive power of the fluid that holds them by increasing the average density, viscosity, and volume of the moving fluid. Coastlines facing very energetic wind and wave systems will tend to hold only large rocks as smaller particles will be held in suspension in the turbid water column and carried to calmer areas by longshore currents and tides. Coastlines that are protected from waves and winds will tend to allow finer sediments such as clay and mud to precipitate creating mud flats and mangrove forests. The shape of

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2808-408: The waves at some point in the tide, is termed the beach berm. The berm is the deposit of material comprising the active shoreline. The berm has a crest (top) and a face —the latter being the slope leading down towards the water from the crest. At the very bottom of the face, there may be a trough , and further seaward one or more long shore bars: slightly raised, underwater embankments formed where

2862-434: The waves first start to break. The sand deposit may extend well inland from the berm crest , where there may be evidence of one or more older crests (the storm beach ) resulting from very large storm waves and beyond the influence of the normal waves. At some point the influence of the waves (even storm waves) on the material comprising the beach stops, and if the particles are small enough (sand size or smaller), winds shape

2916-577: Was named the best beach in the United States and sixth-best in the world by TripAdvisor. With an annual mean temperature of around 75 °F (24 °C), Clearwater Beach has a climate that borders on humid subtropical and tropical savanna . Clearwater Beach experiences hot and humid summers (although somewhat tempered, due to the sea breeze off the Gulf of Mexico ) with frequent thunderstorms ; and warm, but drier winters . The area experiences

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