This publication provides an extensively detailed account of the evolution of North Carolina's estuarine shorelines. The dynamics of coastal evolution are described for all types of estuarine shores, beginning with the geological framework. The authors explain both long-term and short- term changes and their various causes. Hundreds of maps, schematic diagrams, tables, photos, and other color graphics bring visual evidence to the data presented for each part of the state's estuarine coastline. Processes of shoreline erosion are illustrated as essentials in understanding real solutions to shoreline management challenges.