|Wave exposure||Definitions (from Hiscock, 1990)|
|EXTREMELY EXPOSED||Open coastlines which face into the prevailing wind and receive both wind-driven waves and oceanic swell without any offshore obstructions such as islands or shallows for several thousand kilometres and where deep water is close to the shore (50 m depth contour within about 300 m).|
|VERY EXPOSED||1) Open coasts which face into prevailing winds and which receive wind-driven waves and oceanic swell without any offshore obstructions for several hundred kilometres, but where deep water is not close to the shore (50 m depth contour further than about 300 m).
2) Open coasts adjacent to extremely exposed sites but which face away from prevailing winds.
|EXPOSED||1) Coasts which face the prevailing wind but which have a degree of shelter because of extensive shallow areas offshore, offshore obstructions, or a restricted (less than 90°) window to open water. These sites are not generally exposed to large waves or regular swell. 2) Open coasts facing away from prevailing winds but with a long fetch, and where strong winds are frequent.|
|MODERATELY EXPOSED||Generally coasts facing away from prevailing winds and without a long fetch, but where strong winds can be frequent .|
|SHELTERED||Coasts with a restricted fetch and/or open water window. Coasts can face prevailing winds but with a short fetch (< 20 km) or extensive shallow area offshore, or may face away from prevailing winds.|
|VERY SHELTERED||Coasts with a fetch less than about 3 km where they face prevailing winds or about 20 km where they face away from prevailing winds, or which have offshore obstructions such as reefs or a narrow (< 30°) open water window|
|EXTREMELY SHELTERED||Fully enclosed coasts with a fetch of no more than about 3 km.|
|ULTRA SHELTERED||Fully enclosed coasts with a fetch measured in tens or at most a few hundred metres.|