From Florida northward to Maine, they change dramatically in character. Many of Georgia's barrier islands are among the most pristine anywhere. Geologically, these remarkable islands are considerable younger than the mainland. Barrier islands are not merely pieces of the mainland surrounded by water. These land masses are dynamic in nature, continually changing as they are shaped by the powerful forces of winds, ocean currents, waves, storms and tides.
Tides have the greatest impact on the evolution of barrier islands.
In fact, the eastern coastline of Georgia is, in effect, the western end of a massive ocean funnel.