The aim of the present review is to expose the average reader (assumed to have little previous knowledge of morphodynamics) to an overview of some aspects of estuarine morphodynamics tackled from a mechanical perspective. It will appear that the tidal analogue of several phenomena which are extensivelydiscussed and fairlyw ell understood in the fluvial literature, still await to be fully explored. When writing reviews of this kind, authors are usuallyconfron ted with a dilemma: either treating superficiallya large number of aspects of the problem or discussing fewer topics in greater depth. In the present case we have chosen the former alternative, which seems appropriate to the non specialistic audience assumed above, though space limitation will not allow a systematic treatment of the subject. The reader interested in achieving a more advanced understanding is referred to the extensive literature quoted in the paper.