First off, St. Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia, is beautiful, its entry guarded by the much-photographed Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse. Second, and this matters a lot if you’re a sailor, it offers eight-by-11 km (5 x 7 mi) of unobstructed water—no shoals, no commercial vessels, just clear Atlantic waters with prevailing southwest winds. Later this summer, the bay will be the site of what’s anticipated to be the biggest sailing event in Canadian history, the 2009 Laser World Championships.

Close to 600 competitors will take part in two categories. The world’s Laser elite, 180 Olympic-calibre sailors, will vie at the Seniors level from Aug. 17 to 26. Another 400 sailors, ages 35 and up (way up, in some cases), will rival each other in the Masters event Aug. 27 to Sept. 5. A flotilla of vessels will ferry spectators for a close-up of the sailing action, while onshore social events run from a family fair to festivals to art exhibits in the scenic seacoast villages south of Halifax.

Looking for more Canadian sailing excitement? Check out the freshwater sailing mecca, Kingston, ON, where every summer Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River are bright with sails of everything from windsurfers to the tall ship, St. Lawrence II. Kingston is past host of the Olympic sailing regatta and current host of CORK (Canadian Olympic Regatta Kingston) and the Canadian Yachting Association.

If you’re after a Pacific experience, there are the waters of British Columbia’s glorious Gulf Islands, where events include the Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club Regatta in late September and the Royal Victoria Yacht Club’s Thermopylae Regatta in early October.

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