1. Sea Caves: Waves crashing against the base of a cliff can create hollows and eventually form caves. These caves are often found where there are weaknesses in the rock, such as cracks or joints.
2. Arches: As sea caves continue to erode, they can eventually connect to form arches. These arches can be incredibly impressive, but they are also fragile and prone to collapse.
3. Stacks: When an arch collapses, it can leave behind a tall, isolated pillar of rock known as a stack. Stacks are often eroded further by waves, eventually forming smaller, isolated rocks called stumps.
4. Blowholes: If a sea cave is formed near the top of a cliff, the waves can force air through the cave, creating a blowhole. This results in a powerful jet of water being ejected from the clifftop.
5. Wave-cut Platforms: As cliffs are eroded, the waves also carve out a flat platform at the base of the cliff. This platform is called a wave-cut platform and can be quite extensive.
6. Cliffs: The process of erosion itself creates cliffs. The erosion of the base of the cliff causes the cliff to retreat inland, leading to the formation of a steep, vertical face.
In summary, wave erosion through cliffs results in a variety of landforms, including sea caves, arches, stacks, blowholes, wave-cut platforms, and cliffs themselves. These features are all evidence of the powerful forces of nature at work.
