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Acove is a small bay or coastalinlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often situated within a largerbay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets,creeks, or recesses in acoast are often considered coves.
Colloquially, the term can be used to describe a sheltered bay.Geomorphology describes coves as precipitously walled and roundedcirque-like openings like a valley extending into or down a mountainside, or in a hollow or nook of a cliff or steep mountainside. A cove can also refer to a corner, nook, or cranny, either in a river, road, or wall, especially where the wall meets the floor.
An example isLulworth Cove on theJurassic Coast inDorset, England. To its west, a second cove,Stair Hole, is forming.
Coves are formed bydifferential erosion, which occurs when softer rocks are worn away faster than the harder rocks surrounding them. These rocks further erode to form a circular bay with a narrow entrance, called acove. Another way is that waves can transport rocks and sediment towards cliffs or rock faces, which helps erode softer rock and gradually form coves due to friction. Additionally, rivers or streams that flow into the sea can contribute to creating natural harbors. "Over time, the sediment carried by the flow of the water will help erode any soft, rocky areas," leading to the formation of a cove.[1]
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