Inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, southeastern Massachusetts, U.S. Connected to Cape Cod Bay by the Cape Cod Canal on the northeast and bordered on the southeast by the Elizabeth Islands, it is 30 mi (48 km) long and 5–10 mi (8–16 km) wide.
Its coastline is dotted with fishing villages and summer resorts. Buzzards Bay town (pop., 2000: 3,549) is the site of Massachusetts Maritime Academy.