The Ultimate Cruising Destination


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“A basin ringed by indigo hills laced with marble. Islands within a sea inside an island.”, is how Silver Donald Cameron―yachtsman and author of ‘Wind, Whales and Whiskey’, ‘Sniffing the Coast’, and ‘Sailing Away from Winter’―described Cape Breton Island's inland sea comprising the Bras d'Or Lakes. While it is by no stretch of the imagination "Canada's Largest Inland Sea"—neither salt nor fresh—as some would have you believe, this shining jewel should be on every cruiser's Bucket List. With nearly 700 nautical miles of shoreline and 425 square‑miles of deep, protected, well‑marked water, friendly people, literally hundreds of uncrowded anchorages, and outstanding scenery, the relatively fog‑free waters of the Bras d'Or Lakes are the “ultimate cruising destination” for many cruisers from the Eastern Seaboard, the St Lawrence River, and Great Lakes system. As East Coast sailors know only too well; summer and fog are synonymous. Yet, while the east coast of the island is often fogbound, fog only occasionally penetrates inland to the lakes―and when it does, usually burns off by mid‑morning.

Since Canadian Hydrographic Service charts lack the detail desired by cruisers, volunteers at the Dobson YC, with the assistance of others in the cruising community, maintain this website devoted to providing those venturing to our island with up‑to‑date information, including: numerous detailed chartlets of harbours, coves, and anchorages; weather forecast information; tidal information; supplies and services information; and links to anything else the cruiser needs to know. All this information is downloadable as an app (The "Electronic Cruising Guide") and in the form of eBooks for printing or use on a laptop or tablet computer aboard your boat, without the need for an Internet connection. See our Downloads Page.

Cruiser in Corbetts Cove

Having so many coves and harbours in which to anchor, many still unspoiled by human habitation, it is hard to recommend to a visiting cruiser just where to visit. Cruisers have their own favourite anchorages. There are several 'must‑see' places such as Little Harbour: an almost circular cove with an entrance less than 200 feet wide, and one of the few anchorages boasting a waterside restaurant with its own dock. Another interesting place to visit is the 'secret cove' in Big Harbour, on the Great Bras d'Or Channel. For those seeking company, there are the popular anchorages such as Maskells Harbour, the cove at Marble Mountain, and Cape George Harbour; and for those seeking solitude, in most other anchorages you may never see another cruising boat. There are anchorages to suit all personalities!

Neils Harbour

But it's not just about 'The Lakes'. The Isle Madame and Lennox Passage area is a gunkholer's paradise. Secluded anchorages are found in Haddock Harbour and Inhabitants Bay. The small fishing harbours of Janvrin and West Arichat, or the larger harbours of D'Escousse, Petit‑de‑Grat and Arichat, are well worth a visit. For those seeking a little more challenge, coastal Cape Breton and the numerous small, and not‑so‑small, fishing harbours beckon. Some cruisers prefer the coastal ports, which offer interesting visits ashore to get to know the local people who earn their living off the sea, and a chance to stretch their legs walking the beaches and cliffs. Please remember that lobster fishing season around the island runs from early May to mid‑July. Except for emergencies, cruisers should avoid the small fishing harbours during this extremely busy period. Any other time you'll be most warmly welcomed.

Our island offers too much to fully appreciate in a two‑week or even month‑long visit. Sure, some with small trailerable boats bring them here season after season, and some with larger boats and enough leisure time come each year by water, but for many, with boats in the 26 to 35‑foot range, getting here can be challenging. As many have found, a multiyear visit is the best way to really appreciate our island, and is a real possibility for sailing‑ and motor‑cruisers alike. So, take a leisurely cruise here one summer, lay up each winter, cruise each summer, and when you finally must leave, take a leisurely trip back home. Some cruisers plan it; others just passing through are waylaid by all the island has to offer, and decide to stay a while, and longer. Other owners have their boats delivered by boat hauler, cruise for several summers, and have them hauled home again. Well worth considering and especially economical if two boats can be hauled as a single load or arranged with a back‑haul.

Go Boating!

  • Coming without a boat?
  • Looking to charter?
  • Want to go Sailing?
  • Like to try Kayaking?
See Boating Experience for hands-on boating opportunities our Cape Breton operators have to offer…

Local full‑service providers offer ‘Concierge Service’, and can deliver your boat to the island, have it provisioned, furnished with charts, and cruise‑ready on your arrival. When you're finished for the season, leave it at the dock and they'll take it back home for you or store and maintain it for next season. For boat transportation and/or full‑service providers, see our Marine Services Providers page.

Like the other yacht clubs and marinas on the island, the Dobson Yacht Club in Sydney, hosts boats from all over the world and permits do‑it‑yourself or contractor repairs and servicing, and has recently had boats from as far away as Michigan and Virginia stay for four or five years. You will find as they have found, that keeping a boat at a Cape Breton Island facility can be an affordable option, compared to what you might have to pay ‘back home’.

Cruisers from the St Lawrence River & Great Lakes system headed to the Bahamas and beyond for the winter might want to consider this spectacular detour, before finally heading south in late August or September. No need to un-step and re-step your mast and all that that entails when taking this route.

Why come to our island? As recently as 2011, Travel & Leisure magazine readers voted Cape Breton Island as the best island to visit in North America and third in the world after Bali and the Galapagos Islands. We invite you to experience what our island has to offer. Come stay a while, or longer…

[Adapted by Colin Jackson, a member of the Dobson Yacht Club, Sydney NS, from an article written for Atlantic Boating 2014.]


Edited: 2016–01–14