August 14, 2025 Another Lovely Anchorage

Thursday August 14, 2025 Baddeck to Big Harbour Anchorage 8.6 miles and 1 hour

Another ultra short cruise day today. The wonderful thing about the Bras d'Or Lake is there are multiple fantastic anchorages around every corner. Today we'll head for one called Big Harbour. But first we needed to walk up the hill to town and hit the Highwheeler Bakery and Cafe. It was closed Tuesday and Wednesday but finally open today. Got an apple strudel and a cinnamon bun with some coffee. Both delicious so decided to load up. Bought a 4-pack of scones (which had come highly recommended from a fellow Looper) and another 4-pack of cinnamon buns. Gave our buddy boater Tom one of each, froze a couple of each for later and have one of each saved for breakfast tomorrow. Super easy cruise up to Big Harbour. Loop around Red Head Point, head north up the lake along the white gypsum cliffs and then turn into port at Bevis Point.

White gypsum cliffs

Such a contrast to the red cliffs we've gotten so accustomed to seeing

Two boats already there upon our arrival and another three came in after us. The harbour is big enough for all of us with plenty of room for more. This anchorage puts us at the most easterly point in our trip at 60°37.450W. Very nice, wooded surroundings. There is another anchorage further in called Surprise Harbour. Need a shallower draft than us to get there, but it's actually the site of an old gypsum mine. Huge, flooded hole about 500' x 1000' that is over 100' deep. Had hoped to take a dingy ride in there but the 25 MPH wind gusts make dropping the dingy a bit too hazardous. Gypsum mining was a profitable industry in this area from the early 1900's until the depression. The white cliffs and unique weathered outcroppings provide vivid evidence to the abundance of the mineral as well as providing for some visually interesting photographs. Locals consider this an ideal swimming area. Clear water, minimal salinity and even gets above 70 degrees. It's a warm 80+ degree day so I stick a foot in the water to see if it might entice me. NOPE! No swimming today for this fella. Still way too cold for me. Rain expected overnight with a switch in wind direction. Wide awake at 3:30AM when the first reverberating clasps of thunder and flashes of lightning went off. Absolutely a light show. Had us both out of bed and sitting in the pilothouse watching. Deluges of rain bands but surprisingly no real winds to speak of. Mostly over after about half an hour as the leading edge passed by. Couple more hours of on and off rain and all gone by morning.