Bay

Bay is a body of water partially surrounded by land. It is usually smaller and less enclosed than a gulf. The contrast between a bay and a gulf is not clearly defined; the term bay can be used for a variety of different water bodies.

Types of Bays

Bays can be the estuary of a river, such as the Chesapeake Bay, an arm of the sea, or a recessed portion of the ocean, such as the Bay of Bengal. Large bays, such as the Gulf of Mexico, can also be known as a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a type of smaller bay with a circular inlet and narrow entrance. A fjord is a particularly steep bay shaped by glacial activity.

Formation

Bays can be formed in several ways. They can be formed through the erosion of the coastline by continuous wave action. They can also be formed through the sinking of land due to geological activity, such as the sinking of the land around the San Francisco Bay. In addition, they can be formed through the movement of sand and sediment, which can create a barrier that encloses a portion of the water.

Ecology

Bays often provide a safer place for marine life compared to the open sea. The shores of bays are often filled with a wide variety of plants and animals. Some bays have significant commercial value for fishing, shellfish farming, and the harvesting of other marine life.

See Also

• Gulf
• Fjord
• Cove
• Estuary
• Sound (geography)
• Bight (geography)

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