Although dunes fronted by sandy beaches constitute approximately 80 per cent of South Africa's coastline, few studies have addressed the formation and life cycle of coastal foredunes, the small, ephemeral shore-parallel dune ridges typically less than 5 m high and 20 m wide, which form seaward of the storm line. This study used regular, detailed topographic surveys of embryo and foredunes at Tugela mouth, an aggrading stretch of shoreline on the subtropical east coast of South Africa, over a 32-month period, to gain insight into the formation and motion of these highly mobile landforms over the short term.Average wind drift potential at Tugela mouth during the study period, at 2·35 m s −1 , was an order of magnitude lower than that typical of most parts of the eastern South African coast. The dominant sand-moving wind for the region was from the southwest to west-southwest at 10·7 to 13·8 m s −1 , with a secondary vector from north to north-northeast at 10·8 to 13·8 m s −1 . Significant shoreline retreat, a result of the low sediment yield of the Tugela River during the study period, was one of the main results. This provided the context for redistribution of sand from the inland to the seaward side of the study area, a consequence of the dominant wind direction, and for frequent creation and destruction of short-lived embryo dunes. Those foredunes which survived the whole study period tended to increase in height, but there was no consistent directional trend in foredune crest movement throughout the 32 months.The study results generally supported Psuty's model of foredune development, but could not confirm his contention of landward retreat of dune forms under conditions of shoreline erosion. This may be due to the relatively short duration of the study, or possibly to low wind drift potential at the site.

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