Tyrese P Samuel

Geography SBA
Ms. Swanston
 Table of Contents
Section Page Number
Introduction and Aim
2
Location Of Study 3
Methodology 5
Presentation of Date 8
Analysis and Discussion 18
Conclusion 25
Bibliography 27

1
 Introduction
The Field Study was done at Salybia Bay in Toco. This location
is popular in Trinidad and is known for its clean, clear waters
and nearby Coral Reef. Many people visit this beach for
relaxation and family leisure. We visited this site to observe
and record the features of coastal erosion and deposition
present on the site.

Aim of the Project

To investigate wave processes on Salybia Bay and to
determine the relationship between the wave processes and
the features observed on the beach.

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 Location of Study
Map #1: Map of Trinidad

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Map #2: Map of Toco

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 Methodology
How was the data collected?
The Information was obtained by going on a field trip to the
actual site where photos were taken, field sketches drawn
and 9 tests were done.

When was data collected?

Data was collected on the 30th of October 2017.

Where was the data collected?

At Salybia Bay in Toco, located on the North-Eastern Coast
of the Caribbean island, Trinidad.

Table 1: How data was collected for the

observation
Observation How data was collected
Coastal features My group walked along the
coastline taking pictures of
specific features of coastal
erosion and deposition which
was learnt in school.
Wind Speed and Direction A group member held up an

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 anemometer and I recorded the
values of the wind's speed and
the direction of the wind with a
compass. This process was done
a few times and an average
reading was taken.
Wave refraction Our group observed that the
waves mimicked the shape of
the coastline because of the
distinctive features that was
formed on the beach, this is
because the wave energy is
focused mainly on the
headlands and not the bays,
therefore wave refraction is
present.
Direction of Longshore Drift To find out which direction
sediment was being transported
by the water, we took a tennis
ball and threw it into the water.
The Tennis ball was left to float
in the water for a period of 30
minutes and the direction the
tennis ball went was observed.
Wave Height The height of the waves were
assumed by sight. THIS WAS
DONE 5 TIMES and an average
was taken

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Wave Period By using a timer, we counted the
number of waves passing a
reference point within one
minute. This was done ten times
and an average was taken
Wave Type A picture of the wave was taken
and sketched. The shape of the
wave sketched would be
determined whether it was
constructive or destructive
based on prior knowledge about
wave types from school

Wave Length To determine this, we chose a

position in the water and
recorded the length of time it
took between two wave crests.
This was done 10 times and an
average time was taken.
Slope profiles To measure this we used 2 PVC
rods, one in which had a larger
protractor attached to it. The
two rods were placed into the
sand as straight as possible. A
string was then attached from
the top end of one rod and
connected to the other end.
Using measuring tape, the

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 distance between the rods was
recorded and the angle between
the two rods as the string
showed this value on the
protractor. After doing this, the
process was then repeated but
placing the first rod in the
position of the second rod and
moving the second rod to
another location where the
slope began changing again

Presentation of Data
Presentation of Slope Profiles

Table 2: Data collected at headland

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Changes in angle between two Distance between two points (inches)
points(degrees)

20 61
58 37
26 43
30 38
21 29
39 15
7 41

Table 3: Data collected at bay

Changes in angle between two Distance between two points

points(degrees) (inches)

4 62
15 112
8 67
10 54
10 47
15 31
9 69

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Graph #1:Slope Profile of Headland

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Graph #2: Slope Profile of Bay

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 Presentation for
Wave Height
Table 5: Data collected for Wave Height

Location Wave height

Bay <1m
Headland#1 >1m
Headland#2 >1m

Presentation for
Wave Type
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Picture 1: Plunging Wave at headland Picture 2: Spilling Wave at Bay

Presentation for Wind

Speed and Direction
Table 6: Data collected for Wind Direction

Location Wind Direction

Bay North
Headland#1 North
Headland #2 North

Table 7: Data Collected for Wind Speed

Trial Windspeed at Windspeed at Windspeed at

Bay(km/hr) Headland Headland
#1(km/hr) #2(km/hr)
1 5 0 0
2 7 14 13

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3 8 15 16
4 4 0 15
5 3 16 0
Average 5 9 9

Presentation for
Wave Length
Trial Time Between Time Between Time Between
two two two
consecutive consecutive consecutive
crests at crests at crests at
Bay(seconds) Headland Headland
#1(seconds) #2(seconds)
1 11.49 12.05 13.18
2 12.54 13.42 12.43
3 10.28 11.48 14.21
Average 11.40 12.30 13.3

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 Presentation for
Wave Period
Table 8: Data Collected for Wave Period

Minute Number of Number of Number of

waves waves waves
passing passing passing
reference reference reference
point at point at point at bay
Headland#1 headland#2
1 8 8 6
2 8 11 6
3 7 7 5
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4 8 12 6
5 8 8 5
6 7 7 6
7 8 9 6
8 7 7 6
9 10 8 6
10 9 7 6
Average 8 8 6

Bar Graph #1
A graph showing data for wave period.

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Map #3: Presentation of Wave Refraction

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 Analysis and
Discussion
Headlands- At the Headlands the wave period was
approximately 8(as seen in table# 8) and had waves
which were over 1 meter (as seen in picture#1 and
Table#5). There was more erosion than deposition at
the headland which accounted for its steep slope profile
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(refer to graph #1), forming a wave cut platform. These
characteristics suit a plunging wave. Other features
observed at the headland were; stacks and stumps.

Picture 3: A Stack formed at headland Picture 4: A Stump near headland

Bay- At the bay the wave period was approximately 6

(as seen in table#8) and had waves less than 1
metre(as seen in picture #2 and table #5). There was
more deposition than erosion at the bay which
accounted for its gentle slope (refer to graph#2) and the
large of amounts of corals(sediment) on the bay. All
these characteristics are of constructive wave activity
(Spilling Wave).

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Picture 5: Coral at beach and resistant hard rock Picture 6: Wave Cut
Platform

Discussion
The wind direction was North and blew at
relatively low speed (refer to table #6 &#7). There
was proof that a coral reef was along the coastline
of Salybia Bay as crushed pieces of Coral was

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seen on the beach (as seen in picture 5). The
Coral Reef reduces the amount of erosion acting
on Salybia Bay by reducing the energy of the wave
when it is passing over the Reef, therefore there
was a relatively low wave period when we were
investigating. At the bay there was more coral on
the beach than at the headlands (as seen in
picture #6), this is evidence that more deposition
takes place than erosion at the bay. The eroded
corals lightened the color of the sand (as seen in
picture #6).

Despite the many factors that will protect Salybia

Bay from erosion like low wind speed and a Coral
reef present, Salybia Bay still had signs of coastal
erosion. This was due to wave refraction. As the
waves approach the shore, they mimic the shape

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of the coast, causing most of the energy to be
concentrated on the headlands. This results in
erosion at the headlands (refer to picture #3 and
#4). The high wave energy at the headlands
account for their steep slope profile (refer to
graph #1) because of the Plunging Waves present
which have a stronger swash than backwash,
causing the wave the pull what sediment it can off
the beach like sand. This will result in the slope to
become very steep, this is why the slope profile
for the headland is steeper compared to the slope
profile of the bay(refer to Graphs #1 and #2).Other
features of erosion also observed at the headlands
include a stack and stump. The eroded rocks on at
the headlands were deposited further out into the
ocean.

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Although there was severe erosion at the
headlands, there was deposition at the bay. Due
to longshore drift, the eroded sediment at the
headlands were both deposited onto the bays.
Evidence of this is the deposited coral at the bay
(as seen in picture #6). Another feature of
deposition at the bay is the smooth slope it has
(refer to graph#2 and table #3). This is because
the waves at the bay have a relatively low wave
period and wave height (refer to table #5 & #8),
therefore the wave type is a spilling wave which
has a greater swash than backwash. Therefore,
deposition is more prominent at the bay than
erosion.

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 Conclusion
Both erosion and deposition influences Salybia
bay’s features. Destructive waves present by the
headlands cause them to recede from their
original position and give features like a stack,
stump and wave-cut platform (as seen in pictures
#3, #4 & #6). Constructive waves present at the
bay along with long shore drift, deposit the eroded
material from the headlands onto the bay. This
creates a bay-head beach.

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Wave refraction also influences the features of
Salybia Bay (refer to map #3). When waves enter
bay-head beaches, they a forced to bend and
mirror the shape of the coast. This is wave
refraction and it occurs because of the shallowing
of water as the waves enter the bay. Refraction
spreads out and reduces the wave energy in a bay,
which is why deposition occurs there. The
headlands are projected more outwards, so more
wave energy is focused there causing erosion. The
eroded material is deposited at the bay.

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 Bibliography
Clarke,Hutton,Nurse,Rocke,Ross. Geography for CSEC, A Caribbean Examinations
Council Study Guide

Rahil,Vohn(2008). Caribbean Environmental; Caribbean Educational Publishers(CEP)

Rahil,Vohn(2010). Complete Geography Course for CSEC(Fifth Edition),Caribbean

Educational Publishers(CEP)

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