Arm of Gold – Nova Scotia
The Bras d’Or Lakes in Nova Scotia make up a unique inland sea in the center of Cape Breton Island. The trapped brackish water has outlets to the ocean at Great Bras d’Or Channel, Bras d’Or Channel and at the canal at St. Peters. Only the Great Bras d’ Or Channel located at Seal Island provides a significant flow of water and that means the notorious Nova Scotia tidal exchanges here are tempered. The lakes are salty enough to support marine species including flounder, dogfish, hake, pollock, codfish and herring as well as lobster alongside trout (brook, rainbow, and brown) and Atlantic salmon. Covering over 1100 square kilometers, major rivers including the Baddeck, Black, Middle, Skye, Washabuck and River Denys dilute the salinity. Large round fish farming pens are seen as you drive the Trans Canada highway along the water’s edge.
I took a quick plunge into the water near Sydney to set up some new equipment. A macro kit and new camera monitor needed a bit of my attention. I got everything trimmed and installed but didn’t spend my time getting too many photos. The lake definitely deserves more of my attention. Besides the fish communities, there are several reported wrecks and other interesting sites.
