Narrow inlet

RIA

A drowned river valley often found along coasts with steep sides.

A "narrow inlet" often refers to a ria, which is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of a river valley due to rising sea levels. The word itself comes from Spanish and Galician, originally describing the drowned river mouths common in regions like Galicia. Unlike fjords (carved by glaciers), rias have gentler slopes and are typically found in temperate climates. Think of them as the ocean’s fingers stretching into the land.