La Manga spit in Murcia, Spain, was transformed in the 1960s when the spit was developed for tourism.
Feature: Sand Bar A sand bar is a narrow ridge of sand or shingle that seals off the mouth of a bay.
How a Sand Bar Forms
A spit can grow in size until it completely seals off a bay. A lagoon is a small lake that is formed behind the sand bar. It was originally part of the bay, but it has now been sealed off by the bar.
Examples: Sand bars can be seen at Loch Muirí, Co. Clare, and Lady’s Island Lake, Co. Wexford.
Feature: Tombolo
A tombolo is a narrow ridge of sand or shingle that joins an offshore island to the mainland.
How a Tombolo Forms
A spit can grow in length until it reaches a nearby island. The spit is then known as a tombolo.
Example: A tombolo can be found near Roundstone, on the Galway coastline.
162 Longshore drift Tombolo 11. How a tombolo forms Former island
Processes at work Deposition Longshore drift
Marram grass 10. How a lagoon forms
Lagoon Bar
Longshore drift
Processes at work Deposition Longshore drift Wind