Bras D’ors Lacs Nouvelle Escosse
The Bras D’or Lakes in Cape Breton are a spot known around the world for their little corner of the world. We’ve even heard of them whilst in Mexico from the adventuresome few we met who had come up this way previously. Entered through either a lock at St. Peter’s Canal in the south or through what sounds like a current rapid in the north they’re actually an inland sea as they’re salty. Aside from knowing they’re there we really had no clue what we were locking our way into as we entered.
St. Peters lock was such a cute little spot! After locking down through the Canso Causeway this lock seemed just yacht sized as we pulled up that clear, calm, sunny day. The lock masters were extremely friendly, obviously used to touring boats coming on through, upwards of 1,000 this year alone apparently! Due to the difference in height of the water it’s not too drastic of a change which made it easy to chat with the friendly workers as Karma was lifted up imperceptibly. As we didn’t know the first thing about what was worth seeing once in the lakes we were given a few suggestions for what were the highlights according to everyone else who passed through, perfect! We now have a goal for the day and a few names to forget as we ditz around.
Once through the locks the two workers dawn their Canadian Health and Safety approved helmets to drive the company side-by-side to the swing bridge also under the same management. Once opened they radio back and let us know it was time to continue on down the canal. This was very much like driving the boat down through a lazy river as it was a deep channel but just two boat widths wide with pretty steep rock cliffs on both sides. Through the swing bridge, a wave back at the lock masters, and away we went motoring up the narrow island made maze at the south end of the lakes.
Our first stop was the suggested cove of Cape George Harbor where we tucked up in a very scenic cove right before the water opened up into the larger area of the lake. A little fishing boat converted cabin cruiser boat with an extremely Galic name tied up to a mooring near us and we paddled around to look at the scenery and two forgotten boats up on the hard in maybe the most scenic spot to do boat work we’ve seen. Both looked rather abandoned and the mosquitoes came out in such force that we quickly decided that was enough land time so back to the boat we rowed.
A friendly man kayaked up to us inquiring about the boat and we got to talking. They’d lived on the lake for years and sailed for a long time on their own boat. The perfect sort of person to run into on day 1 in a place we know nothing about. We got the lay of the land and some suggestions from him of the “not to miss” spots. He also told us of a cruising guide which is a number of years old but was uploaded in sections as a PDF which we could download. Being without any guides for this coast at all, and the entire coast being a place we have no reference for and just showed up in, this is extremely helpful. The guide isn’t too detailed but it’s detailed enough to help make decisions on if a place is worth the beat or not.
With the weather being nice we set off the following morning, sailing off the anchor and out into a completely windless bay. A smaller 30 or so foot cruising sailboat anchored for the evening on the other side of the cove, and now they motored out and passed us whilst we drifted around, sails just hanging on the mast not pulling their weight.
Eventually the wind sort of filled in and it was coming from where we thought we might go to, so noticing the other sailboat which passed us was heading into some cute little islands close by we decided, “what the heck” and just followed into where we presumed they were going, turned out to be Johnstone Harbor. Through what was called a tight entrance, it opened up to a few different bays all encircled by some islands which would be perfect for the incoming stronger winds in a day or so. We puttered around and found where the wind was totally blocked and stern tied to the shore. This kept us completely void of wind during the following day which was neat to see when we went walking on shore in a strong breeze but could see the New Brunswick flag was not even flapping back at the boat. The trail was more of a gravel road around some houses so that didn’t last too long. Squall day though means projects? Angle grinder in the forest steel fabrication and door latches are how we spend that day.
With a brisk fresh breeze we set off in the morning heading north. The wind seems to be making it such that Marble Mountain, the only thing in the lake we had heard about beforehand, was always upwind so we thought we’d just go around the lake the other way hitting the hiking trial on the way back down. Maskall’s Harbour was suggested by both the lock masters and friendly kayak man, also is sort of legendary in the cruising world as the CCA was formed there back in the day. This meant heading through Iona where there is a drawbridge to go through. The sail up the lake was nice, with no swell Karma just flies along under full whites. We sail almost all the way up to the bridge but as it doesn’t open to wide we drop the sails and motor on through. Once on the other side the sails are up again for the final 4 miles to Maskall’s.
We enter around a light house and it is decently windy. There is a superyacht at the far end of the bay and so we tuck around a small corner and stern tie again as all the lines are out. The wind though later in the day is supposed to switch so we decide it’s probably prudent to move. We do a few circles driving around in the wind and hooking sea weed before taking the spot the superyacht was in right in the middle of the bay. It is definitely a scenic spot this. Surrounded by an actual landscape with some height to it, unlike the completely flat New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, we are around about two corners where you can see past a scenic rock beach and then to the main point with a classic red and white Nova Scotia lighthouse.
After a morning on shore looking at the light house we decide to use the light but favorable winds to head up just 5 miles to Baddeck, the scenic small town on the lakes. The sail over was without hitch. We passed two cruising boats which we got photos of and made contact on the radio to send them over later on email. Fretless VI is heading south to the Bahamas and then we caught Type-Eau sailing under gennaker aboard their Boreal 47 which we later befriended and spent a number of days with a harbor hopped down the east coast with.
Baddeck looks a lot like mini St. Andrews which we saw during the final road trip of the Volvo 240 to the boarder to make the sale. Small island across from town with boats moored on balls in the channel between. We anchored close to town and headed to shore to check it out. We bring our large contractor black bag of trash to shore only to find out black bags are not accepted at the dumps in the area? So that was a bust, but otherwise the town was a cute one being on a hill facing down towards the lake with an array of restaurants, Home-Hardware, and a Co-Op grocery store.
We are really gettin’ in the swing of things cooking aboard now whipping up tasty breads, pretzels, pizzas, and the like. At this point we get bold and discover how to start using the characterful Indian pressure cooker we got in Moncton and so we settle down for a tasty meal in front of the town thinking of what the goals are while here.
