• Bay – An inlet of the sea or other body of water usually smaller than a gulf.
• Beach – A shore of an ocean sea or lake or the bank of a river covered by sand or gravel or larger rock fragments.
• Bight – A bend in a coast forming an open bay.
• Channel – A narrow body of water between two portions of lands.
• Cove – A small sheltered inlet or bay.
• Estuary – Where the mouth of a fresh waterway empties into a body of salt water.
• Fjord – A narrow inlet of sea between cliffs or steep slopes.
• Gulf – A part of the ocean or sea extending into the land.
• Harbour – A part of a body of water protected and deep enough to furnish anchorage especially one with port facilities.
• Haven – A harbour or port.
• Port – A place where ships may ride secure from storms. Usually a harbour town or city where ships may take on or discharge cargo.
• Sands – A tract of sand a sandbank or sandbar.
• Sound – A long, relatively wide body of water, larger than a channel, connecting larger bodies of water.

There are many potential hazards while at the beach here are the most common you will come across that you should be aware of.

•  Deep shelving beach
•  Large breaking waves
•  Strong currents
•  Strong winds
• Surfers
•  Tidal cut-off
• Unstable Cliffs

• After low tide, keep an eye on incoming tide to ensure you don’t get cut off.
• Wherever possible, swim at a lifeguarded beach.
• Never swim alone.
• Do not use inflatables when windy or wind is blowing offshore. On some beaches there will be an orange windsock which indicates offshore winds.
• If you see someone in difficulty, don’t attempt a rescue. Tell a lifeguard, or, if you can’t see a lifeguard, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
• Do not dig deep holes in sand or dig tunnels in sand. They might collapse.
• Be aware of the seagulls if you’re outside with food.
• Take your rubbish home, don’t try and cram more stuff into an already overflowing beach bin.
• There are occasional reports of substances such as palm oil being washed up on beaches. Some substances are poisonous to dogs.
• If you do find something on the beach, you have to log the item with the government’s Receiver of Wreck. Then, if nobody comes forward to claim the object after a year, you can keep it.