Chart your own course for adventure. From a relaxing sail on the Bras d’Or Lake or cruising on a whale watching tour, our Island offers a big selection of boat tours and charter activities. Set against a backdrop of rugged coastlines, you’ll encounter abundant sea life including whales, seabirds, and more.

*Please visit each individual operator’s website for up to date information on opening or protocol changes.*

1. Cape Breton Sailing Charters

Day sailing adventures with Captain Greg on the Bras d’Or Lake and Cape Breton’s ocean coast. Join them for a half-day, full-day, or sunset private sailing charter with your party of up to 6 people. Guests can take the helm, handle the sail – with instruction from the captain – or just kick back and enjoy the ride.

Sailing June 18th.

2. Amoeba Sailing Tour

Step aboard the Amoeba for a sailing experience as unique and unforgettable as Cape Breton’s Bras d’Or Lake. Observe the majestic bald eagles as they circle the boat, see Alexander Graham Bell’s mansion Beinn Bhreagh and the beautiful Baddeck shoreline, or just relax and enjoy an entertaining and educational narrative of the area on the deck of a boat unique on the Bras d’Or Lake.

Sailing July 1st.

3. Sailing CBI

Sailing CBI  is a true sailing adventure that cannot be replicated anywhere else. They have recommended routes that are meant to provide a starting point to your own unique experience. Whether it’s a golf and sailing vacation, a week of pure sailing, or an experience that truly captures Cape Breton’s spirit, scenery, and people – Sailing CBI wants to customize the yachting experience of your life.

4. Cruise and Learn Adventure Sailing School (CLASS)

CLASS offers Canadian Recreational Yachting Association accredited sailing lessons.  Students will live aboard the 37-foot Tayana Cutter-rigged sloop for 3 or 5-day sessions, learning and applying all aspects of handling and sailing the vessel. Experience the excitement and thrill of the sea while learning the skills needed to explore the maritime world by sail.

5. Richmond Adventure Planning

Set sail from St. Peter’s on part of the UNESCO Bras d’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve. Your captain, Gordon Kerr, will reach you the ropes of sailing and give you a chance to try it for yourself if you wish. This adventure departs from the lakeside of the St. Peter’s Canal National Historic Site, a historic locks system that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Bras d’Or Lake.

6. Sail Cape Breton

Our Dufour 41 Classic “Grand Cruiser” Plus is built by Dufour Yachts in France. She sleeps six in three double cabins and has a spacious saloon with seating surrounding a central mahogany table. Upholstered in blue Alcantara. Large linear galley. Her large cockpit, with solid teak, trimmed seats and sole, and two large storage lockers under bench seating leads to a bathing platform with a swim ladder and deck shower.

Come explore the Bras d’Or Lakes, Cape Breton, and the Atlantic Coast with us!

7. Bird Watching Tours 

Experience our majestic Island coastline as you join knowledgable and passionate tour guides for an adventure of a lifetime! Puffin tours with Bird Island Boat Tours in Big Bras d’Or start June 20th, and Capt. Cox’s Whale and BirdWatch, Bay St. Lawrence, is setting sail soon.

8. Whale Watching

Our salty shores and biodiverse waters teem with local marine life and seasonal visitors. Come say hello to the gentle giants of the North Atlantic: pods of pilot, minke, humpback, and finback whales.

Your ocean encounters will leave you wanting more! Spend a day with one of our experienced captains while whale watching, sharing stories, and admiring the seacoast. Tours are offered by:

• Captain Mark’s Whale and Seal Cruise  – Sailing Begins July 1st
• Captain Zodiac Whale Cruise – Sailing Begins June 12th
• Ingonish Whale Watching Tours – Sailing Begins July 1st
• Keltic Express Zodiac Adventures – Sailing Begins June 25th
• Oshan Whale Watch – Sailing Begins July 16th
• Dixon’s Zodiac Seafari -Sailing Begins June 15th

Looking to Port Hop? You’ve come to the right place. 

Marinas and yacht clubs offer everything you need to launch, dock, haul-out, and store for the season. Moor in one of our many ports and discover some of the community clubs, centers, and harbors that make Cape Breton Island a mariner’s paradise.

• Baddeck Marine
• Chéticamp Marina
• Isle Madame Boat Club & Marina
• Mira Boat Club
• St. Peter’s Marina
• The Barra Strait Marina
• Ben Eoin Yacht Club & Marina
• Royal Cape Breton Yacht Club Marina at the Port of Sydney
• Ingonish Landing Marina
• Northern Yacht Club
• Strait of Canso Yacht Club