Nova Scotia - Bras D'or Lakes

[Bill NH]

Anyone done any sailing in the Bras D'or Lakes region of Nova Scotia?  I'm playing with ideas for a northern trip (when you're already in northern New England a "northern" trip necessarily takes on new meaning...) and would appreciate thoughts and suggestions, particularly but not limited to

1)  recommendations for a good cruising guide to the region (this winter's fireside reading?), and

2) any firsthand knowledge of marinas there where I might haul/store the boat over the winter and about the logistics of doing this (as far as Canada Customs issues, etc)

[Captain Smollett]

Bill,

This would have been quite a while back, but I do remember SAIL magazine had one of their "Cruising Week" articles that covered the Bras D'or Lakes region.  It didn't center on that, but it was included.

So, if all else fails, you might check into that...it would have been a '99 or 2000 ish article, plus or minus a couple of years.   ;)  I saved it for a while, but recently threw away all the articles from SAIL that I had torn out as we are packing to move, and thus trimming down.

[Needle]

 There is also a good book called "The Boat that wouldn't float" by Farley Mowatt. 
Quite entertaining... It mentions a passage through the lakes,
For more up to date info I would head for Google Earth.
Sounds like a nice trip...

[Greenman]

A Couple just did the Great Circle Route this year on S/V Blue Jacket. The whole trip is a great read IMO, with a portion of that in the Bras D'Or.

http://www.geoffschultz.org/Log_Page_Index.php?region=2008: