100 Wild Islands

About a hundred granite islands lie off the Eastern Shore between Clam Harbour and Mushaboom, and what makes them unusual is that essentially none were ever developed: no cottages, no roads, no docks, in a region where most accessible coastline has been built on. In 2015 the Nova Scotia Nature Trust ran a campaign that acquired the bulk of the archipelago, protecting roughly seven thousand acres of island and coastline in one of the largest private conservation purchases in Atlantic Canada. Boreal forest, bogs, barrens and white sand beaches sit within a few kilometres, and sea kayaking between them is the way to see it.

What you actually see

• The undeveloped islands - about a hundred with no buildings on them.
• The white beaches - sand coves on granite islands.
• The bog and barren - several ecosystems within a short paddle.
• The 2015 purchase - one of Atlantic Canada's largest conservation acquisitions.

When to go

June to September for paddling; the Atlantic here is cold year-round and fog is frequent. Winter conditions make the crossing unsafe for most paddlers.

Honest expectations

Access is by kayak or boat only, with open crossings that need skill and judgement. Fog rolls in fast. There are no facilities on the islands and camping is restricted to designated spots.

Nearby

Sherbrooke Village lies northeast; Halifax is southwest.