The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word ESTUARIES
E
S
T
U
A
R
I
E
S
More clues leading to the result ESTUARIES
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "water bodies" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case water bodies = estuaries.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ESTUARIES mean?
ESTUARIES noun- Coastal water body where ocean tides and river water merge, resulting in a brackish water zone.
- An ocean inlet also fed by fresh river water.