Name: Tarquin Clark Registration Number:030033 Class: F5B

Teacher: Mr Terry Bradshaw Topic of Interest: Natural Processes

Research Question: To what extent are coastal landforms at Little Bay, Barbados, St Lucy, influenced
by the dominant weathering processes based on wave action, relief, and rock geology?

Aim(s): To investigate the degree to which the predominant weathering processes, wave action, relief,
and nearby geology affect the coastal landforms in Little Bay, Barbados, St Lucy.

Data Collection Methods:

• The metre ruler would be used to determine the height above sea level.
• Photographs would be taken of the main weathering processes, which include chemical and
physical weathering, as well as rock geology surrounding the area to be studied.
• Drawings made using a pencil and paper would be used to study the observable coastline
landforms.
• Buildings and boats, as well as human advancement, would be recognised.
• A compass and metre ruler are examples of devices that would be used to measure the wind and
wave direction as well as the overall area of the research location.
• The quantity of waves reaching both proximities, near and far from shore, would be noted.
• The coarseness of the sand will be examined.

Equipment: Pencil and paper, meter ruler, stopwatch, camera, compass, measuring wheel.

Resources: The Caribbean Environment for CSEC Geography, Internet articles, websites, and other
textbooks.

Presentation: Annotated drawings of the surrounding landscape, as well as photographs and tables to
represent collected data.

Discussion/Analysis: Discuss how the wave action, geology, relief, and weathering processes affect the
nearby landsccape.
Anticipated challenges:
• The weather may not be suitable for the following investigations to be carried out.
• The data recorded may be inaccurate.
• It may be difficult to obtain data such as wave crest height.

Possible solutions:
• Returning to a later date may solve the issue of unsuitable weather.
• Using multiple different data recordings may solve the issue of inaccurate data.
• Taking photographs and comparing to other weathering processes, and physically measuring
wave-crest height will be used to counter such problems.

Introduction
Based on the wave action, relief, and geology, this SBA will investigate the extent to which the
primary weathering processes, and other factors such as wave actions, relief, and rock geology, as well
as the impact the coastal landforms of Little Bay, Barbados. Examples of such landforms may be:
stacks, stumps, caves, arches, wave-cut platforms and the surrounding bay-beach and cliff from which
the examined area is formed.

Research such as this being carried out is vital to the economical success of small Caribbean islands,
and especially islands such as Barbados that use tourism as a primary source of substantial support to
its economy, as these coastal landforms play a huge part to the surviving and thriving of such an
economy, and by understanding the processes that influence such attractions we may work to invest
towards an environment that is fitted towards these landforms, and creations put in place by these
effects.
Location Map – Little Bay, St Lucy, Barbados
Key for Location Map Above
Map Showing Route Taken to Little Bay
 Methodology
These observations were made on 13th October, 2023.
Departure was made from St Winifred’s School at 8:45 and
arrival was at Little Bay.
Firstly, the landscape and area surrounding the area to be
studied (i.e. Little Bay, St Lucy, Barbados) was observed. The
general vegetation and topography was noted and the
surrounding infrastructure was analysed. The wind speed was
estimated, and the wind direction was measure using a piece
of fabric, which was held in the air to match the direction in
which the wind was moving. A compass app on the phone
was then used to deduct the specific wind direction.
Sketches were made of the surrounding bay-beach and
any features which may be used to observe deposition and/or
erosion. A timer was used to record the average number of
waves, onshore and offshore, per minute. The height of waves
offshore was also estimated. This was repeated four times.
Then, observations and sketches were made of the bay,
but from the opposite side. The rock was analysed and signs
of erosion were looked for. After this, the sand inside the
beach was examined. Wave size onshore was measured, and
the rock was examined for signs of an ecosystem. Pictures
were taken of the surrounding life. The beach was then
measured, using an open reel fiberglass measuring tape.
 Presentation of Data, Analysis and Discussion
Table 1
Minute Interval Number of waves offshore per Minute
1 6
2 7
3 6
4 5
AVERAGE 6

Table 2
Wave Number Height of waves offshore (m)
1 1.5
2 1.1
3 1.3
4 1.6
AVERAGE 1.4

Table 3
Minute Interval Number of waves onshore per Minute
1 6
2 8
3 7
4 5
AVERAGE 6.5

Table 4
Wave Number Height waves onshore (m) Start=0.5m
1 70(0.20)
2 60(0.10)
3 72(0.12)
4 64(0.14)
AVERAGE 64(0.14)
 Discussion:
Waves offshore and onshore seemed to have a similar
WPM. It was observed that the waves had a destructive
nature, yet a low WPM, which contradicts Geography for
CSEC by Wilson, Mark.