Bras d’Or (pronounced Bra-door) derives it name from Cape Breton’s first European French explorers/settlers who called it “Arms of Gold”. Some say it actually is a corruption of Labrador.

The Mi’kmaq Nation named it Pitu’pok meaning “Salt Water”. Cape Breton was called Unama’kik, or “Land of Fog”

The saltiness of this inland sea is 60-70% the salinity of the Atlantic, being a mixture of the five main rivers that flow into it and the two connections with the ocean – the Great Bras d’Or and the Little Bras d’Or channels

There is an “artificial” connection in the form of a canal at St. Peters

The surface area is 1098 sq. kilometers (424 sq. mi.) while being 71 km. long (44 mi.) and 32 km. (20 mi.) wide.