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Bras d'Or Lake, Nova Scotia

6K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  hpeer 
#1 ·
I am curious if any body knows anything about Bras d'Or Lake?

I like to plan my vacations about a year in advance due to limited vacation time and planning requirements. This summer will be the Rideau Canal National Heritage Site, this coming winter will be Everglades National Park, next summer I have had Bras d'Or Lake running through my mind.

My problem is, I don't really understand the lake. I see there is only one major park on the lake and if I drive all the way out there I would kind of like to do some exploring. My boat is small and trailerable, and I like to get ashore at night. So how does that work?

I see numerous islands, each or most surrounded by uninhabited beaches (google earth), but I can't figure out who owns the land.

Can I just show up, beach a small sailboat and pitch a tent on any uninhabited beach?
 
#2 ·
No one can lay claim to land below the high high water mark in Canada.. but presumably you'd want to tent off the beach.

Been to the Bra D'or Lakes once.. more like an inland sea with the locks and north east entrance. Saw quite a few boats on the lake but don't know about marine parks or camping opportunities.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Faster, good idea about high-pitched water.

Any chance you could give me a legal reference regarding the high-shigh water mark?

I did part of my college in Sydney, NS, but never sailed on the Lake. I did snow board at Ben Eoin.

My little brother mentioned the high-high water mark (he lives in Mabou N.S.) to me as well, but I (and him) are not sure how it works.
 
#4 ·
Actually all waterways in Canada are federal and so the rules are the same in every province,I am pretty sure of this,and property ownership stops at the high water line and it is illegal to impedes someone's use of the beach(as Faster has said ,he just beat me to it)it makes me laugh when after many dry years lakes get higher and people want government to help pay for flooded cabins ,boathouses or fancy landscaping that was built to low...don't even get me started on people building houses( with basements even) in flood plains but I digress....good luck on your plans to see the Bras d'or lakes,should be very nice o sly better in September ..less other boats,l think it stays nice there a lot later than out west here,,never been to the maritime s but it's in the plans for someday,especially in the fall......Ralph
 
#6 ·
Arcb,

We've been there once quite a few years back. Remember going through the locks, staying at a nearby marina run by the "lions club" I think (my memory is vague but it was something like that), then anchoring in some deserted coves, then headed up to Baddeck. As we've found throughout the Canadian Maritimes, people are wonderful. My guess is that if you asked, many would let you camp on their property and probably let you borrow their car :).
 
#7 ·
Remember going through the locks, staying at a nearby marina run by the "lions club" I think (my memory is vague but it was something like that), then anchoring in some deserted coves, then headed up to Baddeck.
That marina would be the St Peter's Lions Club Marina. There are camp sites at the canal.

There's an RV park / campground in Ben Eoin that's right on the water. There are some other private campgrounds around the lake.

It's oriented at kayakers but this list of water trails would probably be worth working your way through.
 
#8 ·
Can't help with the camping out part. We did sail the Bras d'ors some time ago. Mainly marina to marina. St Peter's, Dundee, Baddeck come to mind. I think we anchored out, but maybe just for lunch. It's been a while! I am sure there are guides on the net somewhere. Love Cape Breton.

Not in Bras d'ors, but we also did the trip from Cheticamp to Magdalens. I do recall there being a campground, not on water, but not far from the marina in Cheticamp. You could day sail from there too.
 
#9 ·
Capecodda, I suspect you are right about folks letting people camp on the beach.

Interesting link ChristinaM, there must be somewhere along those kayak routes that people camp.

Towguy, I agree with you folks shouldn't be aloud to build on flood plains, we've had pretty strict zoning regulations in Ontario since the 1950's. I have heard the high high water reference in inland provinces as well. I used to hear 10' from mean high water in Ontario is public land, but I am not sure if that is accurate or not.
 
#10 ·
There are various cruising guides to Nova Scotia and the Bra d'Or lakes. It sounds like you have a trailer sailer. You should have very little problem finding places to launch and camp and enjoy the lakes. They have been described as one of the premier sailing areas in the world.

All that said there are few structured amenities. I would start at St. Peter's Lions Club Marina. The Managers name escapes me but he is a wonderful fellow as are most folks. You can camp on the canal property I believe. But I would stay there a couple of days to talk to local folks and get oriented. IIRC there is a camp area near the end of the waterway leading to the lake propper. That would be a nice day trip each way with an over night stay.

Then maybe go up to Grand Narrows. There is a marina of sorts across the bridge with a launch ramp and I believe room to camp. And a little store that sells a wee bit of food and booze. Go up North a bit is McAskels harbor which is maintained as an anchorage by the Cruising Club of America - CCA.

Then not much further on is Little Narrows with another launch ramp from which you could explore that side. Near the cable ferry. North of there is the Washabuck River, a really neat hurricane hole and maintained as an anchorag by the CCA.

Baddeck has access ramps and camping.

I'm sure I've only scratched the surface. There is much more. A lot is online but you have to dig.

My cruising guides are on the boat. I like the Puffin Press - CCA guides edited by Sandy Weld best.
 
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#12 ·
Hpeer covered things well. The Bras D'or is a pristine and beautiful sailing area.

No problem with your strategy of wandering around in a small boat and camping on beaches. You'll have a great time, lots of amazing spots to discover.

You will have no problem whatsoever finding suitable beaches, as there are many many uninhabited islands and coves. Land below the high water line is public and people are generally very friendly. Even in areas where their are houses, I can't imagine anyone having an issue with you camping as long as you respect the homeowners (this often involves stopping in for a cup of tea or beer and having a conversation) :smile

If you are in a small boat, make sure you respect the lake. The prevailing SW winds can be strong, and they kick up a decent sized chop, especially in 'the big lake' (southwest part). So watch the weather before crossing.
 
#13 ·
Thanks Hpeer and DougM. Yes Hpeer, a trailer sailer, quite a small one. We can sleep on board if we need to, but we would prefer to beach and pitch a tent.

DougM, it sounds like you know the area well. Great post. I will be cautious if we venture onto the big water. Beer/tea and conversation I can do. The island beaches look incredible.

It sounds like a pretty awesome place.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Okay, so I just completed this trip. Instead of trailering my Bay Hen, I car topped my sailing canoe.

We explored mostly the Northumberland straights tidal estuaries and some parts of the southern portion of Bras D'Ors Lake. Namely; Port Hood, Mabou, Coal Harbour and Big Narrows.

Wow. What beautiful country side. I am in a motel just East of Montmagny reviewing my photos and it occurs to me thhat Cape Breton is the most beautiful place I have been in Canada.
 

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#18 ·
Okay, so I just completed this trip. Instead of trailering my Bay Hen, I car topped my sailing canoe.

We explored mostly the Northumberland straights tidal estuaries and some parts of the southern portion of Bras D'Ors Lake. Namely; Port Hood, Mabou, Coal Harbour and Big Narrows.

Wow. What beautiful country side. I am in a motel just East of Montmagny reviewing my photos and it occurs to me thhat Cape Breton is the most beautiful place I have been in Canada.
I did a lap of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton back in my Harley days and concur with you assessment of the regions natural beauty.

To this day when I describe it to people I tell them to imagine the Hollywood version of a beautiful secluded mountain cabin with evergreen branches dipping down in to the edge of pristine lakes rocky shoreline. Then I tell them that is what NS looks like, everywhere you look except for the places where the lake is replaced with Ocean.
 
#15 ·
Yes Cape Breton is beautiful. I managed to buy a nice piece of land in Washabuck, a few miles above Iona, over looks the lakes for a long way. Sounds like you may be hooked.

I think if you did some careful planning you would find quite a few places to camp waterside. There are locations where the waves create a beach with a pond behind it, called a barischious (sp?). There is very little tide so you can pretty safely camp right up to the water. I think if you look around the Christmas Island area and also just on the east side of the bridge at Grand Narrows/Iona you will see what I mean.

The Cruising Club if America publishes a guide covering the lakes that points out a lot of anchorages, but is not geared for a trailer sailer.

The other thing I’ll say is this, if you like Cape Breton you will love Newfoundland. A little tougher, more sparse, more rugged.
 
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#16 ·
There is a guy named Peter Loveridge who wrote a cruising guide to Nova Scotia, the guide covers the Bras D'Or and is available on CD from him. I believe he is a member of the Shelburne Yacht club so if you look them up and give them a call they should be able to help you get a copy. The club sells paper copies of the book, so if you are making your way up to the Bras D'Or by car, you could swing by and grab a copy. Shelburne is worth a visit and the people at the Yacht Club are super friendly and helpful to visiting sailors.
 
#17 ·
Here are a few pics. These were all taken on the islands west coast-Gulf of St Lawrence- Northumberland Straight.

Its pretty quiet. There are not a lot of people around to care where you beach your boat. The houses that are present seem to be built pretty far back from the water. The beaches are really nice and really abandoned.
 

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