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aerial photograph of Coastal Defences at Sidmouth in Devon England. The rock breakwaters and groynes at Sidmouth are part of a series of Coastal Defenses intended to prevent or reduce coastal erosion in the area. They are designed to retain sediment transported by the sea helping to preserve the beaches. The effect of the breakwaters on the sediment can be clearly observed in the photograph. They also cause the early breaking of waves, reducing erosion on the shoreline.