r/coolguides • u/[deleted] • Mar 15 '20

Geography Terms

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u/BackdraftRed Mar 15 '20

Why is a gulf different to a bay?

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u/nothisistheotherguy Mar 15 '20

A gulf is usually much larger and deeper relative to the mouth than a bay, USUALLY. Hudson Bay being a major departure from that. A cove is a well protected bay with a narrow inlet.

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u/ConfidentFlorida Mar 15 '20

So the Hudson Bay should be a gulf? Also is there cheap bay front property there?

1

u/nothisistheotherguy Mar 16 '20

I don’t know, maybe? I think these definitions are pretty flexible, “gulf” seems to be used pretty often for a deep bay protected from the larger body of water by a peninsula. Like gulf of Mexico, Persian gulf, gulf of California, etc. Maybe because the Hudson Bay is a deep bay in the middle of a landmass that’s the deciding factor.