Henry Glyde’s Otter Bay presents a rugged northern shoreline through simplified, strongly constructed forms and broad, directional brushwork. Deep blue water fills the centre of the composition, surrounding a low rocky island and reflecting the pale green and blue tones of the sky. Dark, angular cliffs rise along the distant shore, with muted mountains visible beyond.

In the foreground, large rounded boulders are painted in warm yellows, ochres, rust reds and earthy browns. Their weight and solidity contrast with the cooler expanse of water. Glyde reduces the landscape to interlocking planes of colour, giving the scene a bold, modernist structure while retaining the distinctive character of the rocky Canadian coast.