Buzzards Bay Facts

Buzzards Bay is found along the Atlantic Ocean that borders the United States, Massachusetts! It is a very popular area for fishing, boating as well as holidays! The famous Cape Cod Canal connects Buzzards Bay to Cape Cod Bay. This bay is actually protected by the Clean Water Acts and the Environmental Protection Agency as it is thought to be significant to the country. It was therefore made part of the National Estuary Program. This means that it is protected from anything that could affect the area such as over development of the surrounding land or pollution.

  • Did you know that in the 19th Century, one of the ports of Buzzard’s Bay was the most successful whaling port across the world? The port was New Bedford.
  • Buzzards Bay does not make for the easiest of sailing with its position on the eastern coast. There are strong currents and unpredictable storms which make this a high danger zone for boats and there are frequent ship wrecks in the area.
  • There was an intense storm in 1991 when Hurricane Bob hit the towns along the shoreline of Buzzards Bay.
  • Did you know that earlier in 2018, part of Buzzards Bay actually froze over due to the extremely low temperatures? This clearly is the place for intense weather conditions!
  • You will find plenty beaches to visit along this bay as it extends 563km (350 miles) with a total of 20 km (13 miles) of public beach areas. This is also what makes it a popular destination to take a vacation to.
  • There are also plenty of boats to see here during the summer months, there is often over 12 000 boats during the peak season!
  • A harbor in Buzzards Bay is one of the East Coast’s largest fishing fleets. This is the New Bedford Harbor with about 270 vessels used for fishing.
  • This pay forms an important part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway system with its connection to the Cape Cod Canal. This canal helps about 20 000 boats pass through in the space of a year. One of the main products shipped through the canal is petroleum products.
  • This also unfortunately led to an oil spill in 2003 when a huge amount of oil leaked into the ocean which killed a lot of sea life
  • There have only been three fatal shark attacks in the area of Massachusetts and one of them took place in Buzzards Bay so beware when enjoying your holiday by the sea. This shark attack happened in 1936.