A barrier island is a long, thin, sandy stretch of land, oriented parallel to the mainland coast that protects the coast from the full force of powerful storm waves. Between the barrier island and the mainland is a calm, protected water body such as a lagoon or bay. Barrier islands are dynamic systems, constantly on the move, migrating under the influence of changing sea levels, storms, waves, tides, and longshore currents. In the United States, barrier islands occur offshore where gently sloping sandy coastlines, as opposed to rocky coastlines, exist. Consequently, most barrier islands are found along the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Coast as far north as Long Island, New York. Some of the better known barrier islands include Padre Island of Texas, the world's longest; Florida's Santa Rosa Island, composed of sugar-white sand; Cape Hatteras of North Carolina, where the first airplane was flown...