A palynological study and radiocarbon dating of surficial deposits on Port Hood Island, Nova Scotia, have indicated that deglaciation occurred more than 11 000 yr B.P., and that the presence of an 'upper till' in local depressions is attributable to soil-creep processes under cold and wet climatic conditions some 11 000 to 10 000 yr B.P. No evidence was found of an ice advance younger than 11 000 yr B.P. in western Cape Breton Island.