The shorelines of barrier islands are forever changing. As waves wash in and out they move the sands beneath them. The daily flux of the tides washes sand away in one area and deposits it somewhere else.

From time to time, large storms, such as hurricanes and winter Nor'Easters, hit the coast.  These storms can cause even more changes to the island. In 1992, a storm closed the opening, or inlet, between Bald Head Island and Fort Fisher.  The storm filled the inlet up with sand.  Now Bald Head Island should really be called Bald Head Peninsula.  It is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of sand.

The dunes that form along the beaches slow erosion. Dunes are hills formed when plants trap the sands blown by the wind. Over time these plants are buried by sand.  They send off new shoots, which trap even more sand.  This creates a growing mound of sand. At high tide, the waves break at the foot of the dunes.  With their thick root systems, the dunes can stand up to the pull of the waves. This keeps the beach from washing away and protects homes built on the shore-line.

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