Great Bras D'Or

Hi everyone,

After a couple of nights at Iona we headed off to explore the Great Bras D'Or.  This is the NE part of the overall Bras D'Or.  We stayed two nights each at Maskells Harbour, Baddeck and Otter Island.  We then sailed to Sydney.

Baddeck sunset

Two of the passages were motoring in light winds.  From Baddeck to Otter Island and Otter Island to Sydney we sailed about half way .  Here are the tracks...

Tracks

We motored from Iona to Maskells Harbour.  Within the harbour there's a spit behind which one can anchor in 6-7m for all-round protection.  The bottom there is sand/shingle with a little mud.  It's a pretty place.

Entering Maskells Harbour

View of spit from NW

View W from anchorage

Sunset view E

We again motored from Maskell Harbour to Baddeck.  Baddeck is a very nice little town with a lot of history.  Much of the history relates to being the sailing centre of the Bras D'Or and where Alexander Graham Bell did much of his inventing.

We took a mooring off Baddeck Marina which gave us access to their washrooms and showers.  Twas nice to have a proper shower.  The chandlery at the Marina is excellent.  And the local supermarket is good too.

At Baddeck we were joined by OCC svs Bonny, Leventeia and Ti'Ama.  We had a great evening together ashore.

Approaching Baddeck from E

Baddeck

Baddeck Marina with dinghy dock at left

Baddeck has many cafes, restaurants and pubs, but its best known attraction is the Alexander Graham Bell Museum.  The museum is well worth a visit.  Bell's body of work ranges far beyond the telephone, including aids for the deaf, aircraft and hydroplanes.

Statue of the Bells on the waterfront boardwalk

Meseum building

Graphophone

Telephones over time

Silver Dart - first Canadian aircraft - flew from frozen winter Bras D'Or

Bell's hydroplane regularly 'flew' at 70+kmph on the summer Bras D'Or 

From Baddeck we sailed in company with sv Bonny to Otter Island.  Another great anchorage in 7m over sandy mud.  Here we explored the nearby shallow inlets in the dinghy and saw otter, bald eagle, kingfisher and heron.

sv Bonny departed after one night.  We were then joined by OCC sv Plover.  We hadn't seen them since departing Deltaville and it was great to catch up.

Anchored at Otter Island

Inlet from anchorage

Anchorage from inlet

Hunting bald eagle

Ashore with the Plovers

Otter Island fresh water spring

So our time on the Bras D'Or was coming to an end.  What an amazing inland waterway it is!  The water is 20+C, much warmer than the Atlantic water.  The wild life and natural environment is spectacular.  The locals are extremely friendly.  We were both sad to leave.

From Otter Island we motored and sailed to Sydney.  Initially winds were very light, then we had a nice S breeze as we headed E then SE.  We motored into Sydney Harbour and berthed at the Royal Cape Breton Yacht Club.

Heading NE out of the Bras D'Or

Bye Bye Bras D'Or

Sailing

Approaching RCBYC

View from NW side of RCBYC marina

View from NE side of RCBYC marina

The RCBYC marina is run by the Port of Sydney.  The docks are very good but there's no marina services or Yacht Club as such.

More on Sydney soon!  Trust all's well where you are.