Goodwin Sands | shoal, sandbar

 shoal, sandbar, invisible

The Goodwin Sands is a 10 miles (16 km) long sand bank in the English Channel lying 6 miles (10 km) off the Deal coast in Kent, England. The area consists of approximately 25 m (82 ft) of fine sand resting on an Upper Chalk platform belonging to the same geological feature that incorporates the White Cliffs of Dover. The banks lie between 8 m (26 ft) and 15 m (49 ft) beneath the surface, depending on location. Tides and currents are constantly shifting the shoals.
More than 2,000 ships are believed to have been wrecked upon the Goodwin Sands because they lie close to the major shipping lanes through the Straits of Dover. Due to the dangers, the area – which also includes Brake Bank – is marked by numerous lightvessels and buoys.