Bras d'Or Lake, Nova Scotia.

Bras d'Or Lake (pronounced "Bra-door") is a large body of water dominating the centre of Cape Breton Island in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Bras d'Or Lake is sometimes referred to as the Bras d'Or Lakes or the Bras d'Or Lakes system, however its official geographic name is Bras d'Or Lake. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada NASA landsat photo of Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island (French: île du Cap-Breton, Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Cheap Breatuinn, Míkmaq: Únamakika, simply: Cape Breton) is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Official languages None (English,French,Gaelic) Flower Trailing arbutus Tree Red Spruce Bird Osprey Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 11 10 Area...

Cape Breton's first European explorers/settlers were from France, with the name Bras d'Or translating into "Arms of Gold", likely referring to the sun reflecting from its waters. The Mi'kmaq Nation named it Pitu'pok, roughly translating into "Salt Water." The Mikmaq (also Míkmaq, Micmac, Migmaq) are a First Nations people indigenous to northeastern New England, Canadas Maritimes, and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec. ...

Geography

With an area of approximately 1100 square kilometres, the extents of Bras d'Or Lake measures roughly 100 km in length and 50 km in width. Surrounded almost entirely by high hills and low mountains, the shape of the lake is dominated by the Washabuck Peninsula in the centre-west, Boularderie Island in the northeast, and a large peninsula extending from the centre-east dominated by the Boisdale Hills. The effect of the Washabuck Peninsula and Boisdale Hills divides the lake into northern and southern basins, linked by the 1 km wide Barra Strait. A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer) (symbol: km) is a unit of length equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words khilia = thousand and metro = count/measure). ... Boularderie Island (pronounced boo-lahr-duh-ree or boo-lahr-dree) is an island separating the Cabot Strait from Bras dOr Lake on the eastern coast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. ...

The effect of local topography has resulted in the following major components of Bras d'Or Lake: This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Northern Basin

• Great Bras d'Or
• Little Bras d'Or
• St. Andrews Channel
• St. Patricks Channel
• Baddeck Bay
• Nyanza Bay
• Whycocomagh Bay

Southern Basin

• Denys Basin
• St. Peters Inlet
• East Bay
• West Bay

The largest part of the lake measures approximately 25 km across in the southern basin, framed by East Bay and West Bay with Denys Basin to the north and St. Peters Inlet to the south. The Barra Strait is crossed by highway and railway bridges running between the Washabuck Peninsula and the Boisdale Hills.

Ocean Outlets

The waters of Bras d'Or Lake are connected to the Atlantic Ocean by two natural outlets in its northeastern extremities, with the smaller "Little Bras d'Or" in the south and the "Great Bras d'Or" in the north. These outlets encircle Bouladerie Island, which is also the largest island in Cape Breton. An artificial connection to the Atlantic is also available at the southwestern extremity of Bras d'Or Lake in the historic St. Peters Canal located in the village of St. Peter's. The St. ... Mike Brady loves his wife of twenty-six years, Betty Ann Brady Mike is from Mt. ...

Rivers

The following major rivers empty into the lake (which can also be defined as a gulf or estuary):

• River Denys
• Middle River
• Baddeck River
• Skye River
• Georges River

The lack of significant tidal exchange with the Atlantic, coupled with freshwater outflow of rivers and innumerable streams results in lower salinity in Bras d'Or Lake than in ocean waters. The limited circulation of the lake means that the waters of Bras d'Or are potentially threatened by sewage discharge from community sewage treatment plants and individual septic tanks, as well as recreational boaters. Sewage is the liquid water produced by human society which typically contains washing water, laundry waste, faeces, urine and other liquid or semi-liquid wastes. ... A septic tank is part of a small scale sewage treatment system often referred to as a septic system, which consists of the tank itself and a septic drain field. ...

Wildlife

Bras d'Or Lake is home to an array of wildlife with successful lobster and oyster fisheries, as well as the pursuit of other marine species. The lake's largely undeveloped shorelines have resulted in significant concentrations of Bald Eagle populations. Hunting for migratory birds and land mammals such as deer and moose is a favourite pastime during the months of October and November. Binomial name Homarus americanus H. Milne-Edwards, 1837 The American lobster is a species of lobster (scientific name Homarus americanus), also known as the northern lobster, or the Maine lobster. ... Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron, opened The name oyster is used for a number of different groups of molluscs which grow for the most part in marine or brackish water. ... Binomial name Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Linnaeus, 1766) The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), also known as the American Eagle, is a bird of prey found in North America, most recognizable as the national bird of the United States. ... It has been suggested that Big-game hunter be merged into this article or section. ... Subfamilies Capreolinae Cervinae Hydropotinae Muntiacinae A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. ... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map Alces alces, called the moose in North America and the elk in Europe (see also elk for other animals called elk) is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from other members of Cervidae by the form of the...

Boating

A favoured vacation destination in its own right, the remarkable scenery of Bras d'Or Lake has become increasingly popular with tourists, as well as recreational boaters (see cruising). Baddeck is the recreational boating centre of Bras d'Or Lake with several marinas, a yacht club, and various services for cruisers. St. Peter's also provides marina and boating services, with some services also provided at Grand Narrows, Whycocomagh, Little Bras d'Or and Ross Ferry. The heavily indented shoreline and numerous protected coves and harbours provides for a boaters paradise. Cruising may mean: Cruising (maritime), leisurely travel by boat, yacht, or cruise ship. ... Grand Narrows is a Canadian rural community located on Nova Scotias Cape Breton Island. ...

Commercial shipping is presently limited to the Great Bras d'Or and St. Patricks Channel where a large gypsum quarry is located at Little Narrows. Gypsum is a very soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. // [edit] Chemical structure Heating gypsum to between 100°C and 150°C (302°F) partially dehydrates the mineral by driving off exactly 75% of the water contained in its chemical structure. ... A small cinder quarry A dimension stone quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. ...

Bras d'Or Lake waters were also once used as a shipping route for coal and other commodities originating in industrial Cape Breton up to and during the Second World War, passing via barge through the St. Peters Canal to destinations on the Atlantic coast of mainland Nova Scotia, or the Northumberland Strait. Marble was quarried into the early 20th century at Marble Mountain on the bluffs above West Bay, with the majority of production being shipped by barge through Bras d'Or Lake for transhipment at Sydney. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Marble Mountain Nova Scotia is a village on the Bras DOr lakes (Cape Breton). ...

Lakeside Development

The largest communities located on Bras d'Or Lake are the villages of Baddeck, Eskasoni, Little Bras d'Or, St. Peter's, and Whycocomagh. Remaining parts of lake shorelines are largely rural with some farming, although encroaching urban sprawl from Sydney in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) is approaching East Bay. Many cottage and recreational properties are located in rural areas, largely owned by people from Sydney, Halifax, or from out of province. The village of Baddeck is located in Victoria County, Nova Scotia on Cape Breton Island in the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. ... Mike Brady loves his wife of twenty-six years, Betty Ann Brady Mike is from Mt. ... Whycocomagh is small Canadian rural community in the province of Nova Scotia. ... Urban sprawl (also: suburban sprawl), a term with pejorative implication, refers to the rapid and expansive growth of a greater metropolitan area, traditionally suburbs (or exurbs) over a large area. ... Downtown Sydney, Nova Scotia Sydney, Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island Sydney is a community and former city in Nova Scotia, Canada, and is located on its namesake harbour in eastern Cape Breton County. ... Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) is a regional municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. ... Motto: Template:Unhide = E Mari Merces (Wealth from the Sea) Logo: Location City Information Established: April 1, 1996 Area: (former city) 79. ...

There is little significant protection for shorelines from development in the form of designated parks or conservation areas. In addition, Nova Scotia does not provide much protection of rural areas from subdivision of property.

Until modern roads were built in the 20th century, coastal freighters/steamships would make the rounds to various lakeside communities, frequently making connection with passenger trains at Iona/Grand Narrows where the railway crossed the Barra Strait. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Grand Narrows is a Canadian rural community located on Nova Scotias Cape Breton Island. ...

Unlike the industrial part of CBRM where coal, steel, and manufacturing industries flourished in the early 20th century, and the petroleum, manufacturing, and pulp and paper industries located in the Strait of Canso region since the construction of the Canso Causeway in 1955, Bras d'Or Lake has no major industries within its watershed aside from logging and gypsum extraction. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... The Strait of Canso (also Gut of Canso or Canso Strait), is located in northeastern North America near the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. ... Canso Causeway from Cape Breton Island Swing bridge after causeway, entering Cape Breton Island The Canso Causeway ( ) is a 1385 m (4583 feet)rock-fill causeway in Nova Scotia, Canada. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Mi'kmaq Culture

The spiritual capital of the Mi'kmaq nation is the gathering place of the Mi'kmaq Grand Council, Mniku or Chapel Island in the Bras d'Or Lakes of Cape Breton Island. The island also the site of the St. Anne Mission, an important pilgrimage site for the Mi'kmaq. The island has been declared a historic site. The Mikmaq (also Míkmaq, Micmac, Migmaq) are a First Nations people indigenous to northeastern New England, Canadas Maritimes, and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec. ...

See also: Chapel Island First Nation Chapel Island First Nation (Mikmaq name: Potlotek) is a Mikmaq first nation on Chapel Island of Bras dOr Lake, Nova Scotia, Canada, with a population of 576. ...

General Interest

Famous inventor Alexander Graham Bell made his summer/retirement home in Beinn Bhreagh ("Beautiful Mountain" in Scottish Gaelic), a lakeside community near the village of Baddeck. It is because of Bell's connection to this area that the Bras d'Or Lake and Beinn Breagh and/or Baddeck routinely get featured in National Geographic maps showing eastern North America. Alexander Graham Bell Credit: Moffett Studio / Library and Archives Canada / C-017335 Alexander Graham Bell (March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish scientist and inventor who emigrated to Canada. ... Beinn Bhreagh, Nova Scota, was Alexander Graham Bells estate, where he lived during the summer. ... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... The National Geographic Society was founded in the USA on January 27, 1888, by 33 men interested in organizing a society for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ...

In 2003, National Geographic Traveler magazine rated Cape Breton Island its #2 worldwide destination (for sustainable tourism) along with New Zealand's South Island and Chile's Torres del Paine, with #1 being the Norwegian fjords. 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

"The Bras d’Or Lakes are my favorite landscape on planet Earth. Nestled into the rolling hills of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, their pristine tidal waters reflect centuries of Scottish culture, music, and friendly people."
Gilbert M. Grosvenor, Chairman of the Board, National Geographic Society

Bell and his researcher assistants also used Bras d'Or Lake as the launching point in summer and winter of massive kites during experiments into heavier-than-air flight. Some kites required towing by large barges into the upper basin of the Lake off Bell's estate prior to launch. The result of these experiments resulted in the February 1909 flight of the Bell-designed Silver Dart from the frozen waters of Baddeck Bay - the first airplane flight in Canada and the British Empire. A kite is a man-made, heavier-than-air object, designed to fly by opposing the force of the wind with the tension of a string held by the operator. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The AEA Silver Dart in flight The Silver Dart (or Aerodrome #4) was an early aircraft which was flown off the ice at Baddeck, Nova Scotia on February 23, 1909. ... The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ...

HMCS Bras d'Or, a 1960s-era Royal Canadian Navy experimental hydrofoil reportedly the fastest warship of its generation, was named after Bras d'Or Lake, in honour of Alexander Graham Bell's work with developing hydrofoils on the lake's waters. HMCS Bras dOr (FHE 400) was a Canadian naval hydrofoil built in 1960-1967 to test the feasibility of an ocean-going hydrofoil for use in anti-submarine warfare. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was the navy of Canada from 1911 until 1968 when the three branches of the Canadian military were merged into the Canadian Armed Forces. ... The Jetfoil Toppi is a ferry which connects Yakushima, Tanegashima Island and Kagoshima port in Japan A hydrofoil is a boat with wing-like foils mounted on struts below the hull. ...

VIA Rail Canada's weekly Halifax-Sydney tourist passenger train, the Bras d'Or was named in honour of the spectacular scenery provided by Bras d'Or Lake along the eastern part of its journey. VIA Rail Canada (also referred to as VIA Rail and VIA; pronounced vee-ah) is an independent Crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. ... Motto: Template:Unhide = E Mari Merces (Wealth from the Sea) Logo: Location City Information Established: April 1, 1996 Area: (former city) 79. ... Downtown Sydney, Nova Scotia Sydney, Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island Sydney is a community and former city in Nova Scotia, Canada, and is located on its namesake harbour in eastern Cape Breton County. ...

External links

• Bras d'Or Lake - Natural History (Nova Scotia Museum)
• Great Canadian Lakes - Bras d'Or Lake
• Bras d'Or Lake Scenic Drive
• Bras d'Or Preservation Foundation