Cape Cod Bay: Amazing Facts On This Travel Destination Revealed

Cape Cod stretches 70 mi (112 km) out into the Atlantic Ocean, bounded on the north by Cape Cod Bay.

The mix of highland, wetland, and coastal habitats found in Cape Cod National Seashore supports over 450 species of amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals, as well as a wide range of invertebrates. Streams and plains with moderate slopes may be found in the state's central region.

Herring Cove Beach is one of the sole beaches on the Cape Cod Bayside. In these seas, humpback whales are the most prevalent species. The seas around Cape Cod are not suitable for swimming or surfing due to the presence of sharks.

The majority of the sharks have been sighted near the outer Cape, where there are many seals. Eastham is the finest location for your needs since it is close to the National Beachfront beaches, these beaches provide some of the most stunning untamed seashores ever. The tidal flats that stretch along the shoreline of Cape Cod Bay are the biggest flats in Northern America, measuring over 12,000 acres (4856 ha) at low tide.

If you like this article, you may find it interesting to read these fun facts articles on the Black Eye Galaxy and Ahmose facts.

Cape Cod Bay Geographic Location

On the southeast coast of Massachusetts, Cape Cod Bay is a rectangular bay in the Atlantic Ocean. On the south and east, it is bounded by Cape Cod, on the west by Plymouth County, and on the south, it is bounded by Massachusetts Bay. The bay is a diversified and complex marine and coastal ecosystem with rich biological diversity, making the most of its West Coast location.

Cape Cod Bay is located between Cape Cod and the mainland and is bordered on the north by Provincetown and Marshfield. The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, located 5 mi (8 km) north of Provincetown, is located north of Cape Cod Bay (including Provincetown).

Orleans is located in the northeast corner of Cape Cod Bay. It's a 600 sq. mi (1553 sq. km) expanse of open sea bounded by Cape Cod and a line drawn between Plymouth and Provincetown.

Cape Cod Bay History

Cape Cod was created 6,000 years ago by glacial deposits and outwash; but, it would not have been recognized with its particular shape and composition until 3,000 years ago when rising sea levels and erosion due to long-shore currents began to alter the peninsula.

Along the rough coastlines of New England, America's history started. The Pilgrims arrived in America near the southernmost tip of Cape Cod. They discovered drinkable surface water and food here, as well as their first conflict with the locals. Bartholomew Gosnold, an English navigator who visited its beaches in 1602 and carried onboard a 'large supply of codfish,' gave it the name Cape Cod. Before going to Plymouth, the Pilgrims arrived in Provincetown, on the looped tip of Cape Cod, in 1620. Cape Cod has piqued the curiosity of geologists due to its recent geologic formation, and the ever-changing shoreline as the Cape reacts to increasing sea levels. Many early explorers came to Cape Cod because of its exposed location. The Wampanoag were the first true settlers of the Cape, having lived here for thousands of years before Europeans arrived.

Over the next 20 years, settlers from Plymouth expanded north and south. The bay-side areas of Sandwich, Barnstable and Yarmouth (all incorporated in 1639) were the first parts of Cape Cod to be colonized, following an old native path that is now Route 6A. The majority of the immigrants hunted, farmed, and fished, with salt hay from the marshes being used to feed cattle and build buildings. People believe that Cape Cod Bay was formerly a freshwater lake that flowed into Orleans Harbor during the latest glaciations.

Cape Cod Bay Famous Places To Visit

Cape Cod is known for its sandy beaches, lobster rolls, sunset, and relaxed atmosphere for long walks on beaches. Here are a few of our favorite Cape Cod originals inspired by shoreline living!

The beautiful Cape Cod National Seashore is located on the Outer Cape's distinctive peninsula, halfway between Provincetown harbor and Eastham.

Provincetown, a small, quiet resort town on Cape Cod's extreme tip, is home to several lovely beaches and shorelines. While its picturesque beauty has always drawn artists to its shore, its open and liberal attitude has helped it become the most popular LGBT vacation in the United States in recent decades.

On July 15, 1970, the Bay was recognized as a State Ocean Sanctuary. The southernmost extremity of Massachusetts Bay is formed by a semi-enclosed embayment. Nauset Beach is one of the public beaches in Orleans, Massachusetts, on the east coastline of outer Cape Cod.

Marconi Beach is located in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. The Marconi beach is named after Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian inventor.

The Cape Cod Canal is a man-made canal in Massachusetts that links Cape Cod Bay to Buzzards Bay to the south. Due to the rapid current, swimming and scuba diving are forbidden in the Cape Cod Canal.

The old silver beach may become crowded, and the parking lot fills up quickly, but if you appreciate being in the sea, the warm surface water with nice waves is worth it.

What is Cape Cod Bay famous for?

Cape Cod is also well-known for its diverse marine life. Popular fish such as cod, haddock,  mackerel,  blue-finned tuna, and striped bass are among them.

Other sea creatures that may be found in these areas include dolphins, seals, and even whale varieties. Whale watching is a famous tourist activity in Cape Cod Bay, and we're sure they encounter a variety of other sea life while out on the boats.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for amazing facts about Cape Cod Bay then why not take a look at Eastern Poison Ivy plant facts or cool facts on Samuel Morse for kids.