Had the colonists known their birds, this body of water might have been called Osprey Bay. Instead, Buzzards Bay is one of many examples of home-spun naming by early colonists. Gooseberry Neck’s Hen and Chickens islands are nearly 5 miles from Cuttyhunk Island’s Sow and Pigs Reef at the bay's western mouth, which begins just east of the border between Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Despite its reputation as a rough body of water, the bay provides fine sailing and snug, picturesque harbors. Many sailors, especially racers, consider Buzzards Bay to be some of the finest sailing in New England with reliable winds and charming natural harbors on both shores.