American River settlement spreads along the southwestern shore of Eastern Cove, facing into the American River inlet, which connects Pelican Lagoon with the cove. This is a low energy, southeast facing shoreline, well protected from waves and westerly winds by its orientation and location deep inside the cove. Ballast Head forms the western boundary of the cove, and extending south of the head is the first American River beach (KI-29). It is a 2 km long, irregular, discontinuous strip of high tide sand that follows the base of the 80 m high, densely vegetated bluffs. The southeast facing beach is fronted by 50 m wide intertidal rock flats, then partly vegetated sand flats extending for another 150 m. The beach terminates at a small point which was the site of a long jetty, only the ruins of which now remain. read more

Beach Length: 1.95km