In geography, bight has two meanings. A bight can be simply a bend or curve in any geographical feature, usually a coast. Alternatively, the term can refer to a large (and often only slightly receding) bay. It is distinguished from a sound by being shallower. Traditionally explorers defined a bight as a bay that could be sailed out of on a single tack in a square-rigged sailing vessel, regardless of the direction of the wind (typically meaning the apex of the bight is less than 25 degrees from the edges).
Uploaded to Geograph by Andrew Curtis on 12 December 2014
Photo © Andrew Curtis, 12 December 2014. Licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons licence