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Boaters along these shores can also spot fin, minke, and humpback whales, which proliferate on the northwestern coastline of Cape Breton all the way up to Cape North, the northern tip of the island.
Just north of Cheticamp, boaters can marvel more fully at the awesome Cape Breton Highlands, from Pleasant Bay around to the Bay of St. Lawrence.
The Highlands cover some 950 square kilometres and feature rolling forested mountains, steep cliffs and river canyons.
Cruising around the eastern shore of Cape Breton Island, boaters will be greeted by more open seas, and often fog, but another series of attractions lie along this coast.
The first major port east of the Canso Causeway on the Cape Breton side is at Port Hawkesbury, a busy commercial deepwater port, which also has a full-service marina.
East of Port Hawkesbury one comes to the Acadian island of Isle Madame, where marinas can be found on the northern side at D’Ecousse in Lennox Passage or to the south at Arichat.
D’Ecousse is the home of well-known writer and author, Silver Donald Cameron, who in 1991 published Wind, Whales and Whiskey, a whimsical recounting of his boating adventures around Cape Breton Island.
The Acadian people who live on Isle Madame have made their living from the sea—primarily through fishing or boat building— are warm, inviting and pleased to share their culture. Cruising northeast, boaters will pass a picturesque sandy beach at Point Michaud, and later several key attractions further up the coast.
Fortress Louisbourg is an amazing sight for passing boaters. This National Historic Site will celebrate the 250th anniversary of its second siege, which marked a turning point in the Seven Years War.
Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture & Heritage photo
A replica of the Fortress of Louisbourg hugs the coastline in the Town of Louisbourg, where the original French fort was built between 1719 and 1745. The French came to Louisbourg in 1713 after relinquishing control of Acadia to the British. Visiting the Fortress – the largest reconstructed 18th century French fortified town in North America – takes you back in time, to an era when the French and English struggled for control of the continent. The second siege of this Fortress by the British was a turning point in the Seven Years War.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Cape Breton, the Fortress is manned today by costumed interpreters and contains many fascinating artifacts and exhibits that reflect that period.
Louisbourg’s public wharves have also been a stopping point in the annual Halifax to St. Pierre-Miquelon sailing race, which begins July 10
Northeast of Louisbourg is the community of Mira, a land popularized by Celtic singer-songwriter John McDermott’s hit tune, “Out on the Mira.” The song captures the area’s beautiful scenery, including Marion Bridge, which lies further inland.
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