A spit is a landform of coastal deposition. It is an extended stretch of beach material that sticks out to sea and is joined to the mainland at one end. Longshore drift moves material along a coastline. Where the coastline changes direction, or the power of the waves is reduced, material being transported by the sea is deposited. Where rivers or estuaries meet, sea deposition often occurs. The deposited sediment builds up over the years to form a long ridge of material (usually sand or shingle). Such a ridge is called a spit. Spurn Point on the Holderness Coast is an example of a coastal spit, as is Hurst Castle Spit.
A spit is an unstable landform. It will continue to grow until the water becomes too deep or until the material is removed faster than it is deposited. Spurn Point was breached by a storm surge in December 2013. Dunes were destroyed, and the spit was breached by seawater.
hen a coastline changes shape, the waves lose energy, so deposition occurs, and the spit grows out to sea. The prevailing wind makes the swash approach the shore at an angle. The backwash is at a right angle because of gravity. Longshore drift moves material in a zig-zag manner along the beach. On a shingle or pebble spit, the pebbles become smaller and more rounded towards the end of the spit due to attrition. They also become smaller as the longshore drift becomes weaker