The sun can bake the sand until it feels as hot as the desert. Waves and wind constantly move the sand, making it impossible for plants and animals to find a permanent home. Several thousands of waves a day attack a beach. Some home owners built seawalls and other barriers to keep the sand in front of their beach. Seawalls may hold the sand in front of one home but rob sand from a neighbor's beach further down the coast.
Nothing works for long.
One winter storm can wash away a month's work building a seawall. It is now illegal in Maine to build seawalls and homes where they will be threatened by waves. For animals which must find a home on the beach the best strategy is to dig in. The sharp shells and long foot of the razor clam can tunnel through several feet of sand in seconds. Large gills allow them to breathe under the moist sand.