The beach north of the Patawalonga Creek mouth runs relatively straight for 2 km to the West Beach marina, and another 2.5 km to the Torrens River mouth (Fig. 4.67). The continuous beach is backed by a combination of dunes and seawalls, and fronted by a surf zone contain two shallow bars and troughs. The beach faces west-southwest and receives low winds waves averaging 0.5 m, and higher waves during strong westerly winds. The waves maintain a double bar system, with a unusually attached inner bar, a shallow trough and shallow outer bar. The bars slowly migrate to the north causing the configuration of the beach and surf zone to change over time. Rips occasional cut the inner bar following higher waves, and strong currents can flow in the trough, particularly on a falling tide. read more

Beach Length: 4.5km