Introduction

The primary element responsible for the building and sculpting of Bermuda's landscape has been the wind. The evidence of deposition by the wind is displayed by the characteristic internal structure, or bedding, with gently inclining windward beds and steeply dipping leeward beds.

The properties of Bermuda's limestones were predetermined by the capabilities of the wind as a means of transporting sediment. The particle size in dunes in generally limited to those of a fine to medium sand. Larger particles than these were left on the beach, while smaller ones were swept beyond the dunes.

Unfortunately, as there is effectively no dune growth on Bermuda today, the processes involved in dune formation cannot be studied in action. The implication of this present inactivity is that some special circumstances, which may include a changing sea level, severe climatic conditions or loss of vegetation, are required to trigger dune building.