Abstract: A "soft" seawall for a beach comprises a barrier made of a flexible membrane which can be deployed at the onset of a storm and taken down after the storm has passed. This allows the beach to rebuild naturally during calm periods and prevents erosion during storms. The barrier is held in the deployed position by bollards located on the shore and dolphins located in the water. The dolphins in the water are pivotally mounted so they lie on the floor when the barrier is not deployed. Ballards on the shore contain spindles for winding the flexible membranes up to retract them. Cables are attached to ends of the membranes, and these cables are reeled in to pull the membranes into the ocean during deployment. Preferably, the membranes are arranged to form pools for dissipating the force of the waves.