Offshore islands, so common along the Eastern Shore of the mainland, are rare. Otherwise the climate and vegetation is similar. The water is cold most of the year, resulting in a constant threat of fog, even well into the summer. The landscape has a stark appeal but it is only for the experienced paddler. The coastline is relatively linear and, Port Hood and Cheticamp excepted, the Gulf harbours of Cape Breton are narrow river mouths which often require dredging.
Strong current flowing over sandbars at the entrances can produce chaotic conditions.
Rocky shoals are not as common. The highlight of this shore is the Highland region, beginning at the National Park in Cheticamp and continuing around the northern tip. Ancient bedrock has thrust up through a layered carpet of sedimentary strata. The oldest rock is over a billion years old, a tiny segment of the Canadian shield tucked into the Maritimes. The youngest is of the Carboniferous era of fern forest and evaporating seas.