The Place: The Bay of Fundy
The Treasure: Highest Tides in the world – and that’s just the start of it.
The Bay of Fundy runs between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia for about 270 kilometers.
It’s also one of only half a dozen places in North America to have a tidal bore. A tidal bore is where the incoming ocean forces the outgoing river to change directions. Here’s a picture of the tidal bore coming in:
It’s a lot more powerful of an event than a picture can do it justice. Depending on where you look you might see a stalemate where the water seems to just churn around in circles. Another spot the incoming ocean is winning, filling the banks to the side, another spot the river is winning for the moment, but eventually will be over run. Within a few minutes the entire look of the area has changed from mudflats and outgoing river to the flow of incoming ocean.
Of course, the tide’s not near done. It will continue to rise some 50 feet in some areas and reach deep inland. It will replenish tidal pools, flood some land, bring food to some things and remove or deposit debris.
It would take far too much space for me to list the critters that depend on and live in the Bay of Fundy. Birds, fish, whales and more. Instead I’ll point you towards to web pages: http://bayoffundy.com/ and http://www.bayoffundytourism.com/
We’re fortunate enough to pass by the Bay ever day and every day it’s an amazing sight. Mud as far as the eye can see one moment and then filled to where you can’t see anything but water is truly magical. We get to see the crows crossing to their night roosting sight. The seagulls leaving the land for the ocean. The flocks of geese flying south for the winter.
The other interesting thing, for us, is how calm the water looks until you can actually get close to it. It’s turbulent, it’s violent, it’s awe inspiring – every single time.
A couple of quick facts gleamed from the above pages and from the recent vote for the new natural seven wonders contest: Enough water flows in per tide cycle to fill the grand canyon. Enough water flows in per tide cycle to match the combined amount of water in fresh water rivers in the world.
The Bay of Fundy is a natural wonder. It has a way of making you feel part of something greater. Something eternal. When you sit, watch and listen to the Bay do it’s dance you start to realize that it does this twice a day, every day, and has for millions of years and you just got to see it.
It’s right here in our back yard. Most of us know of it but not enough of us know about it. There are Gloosecap tales everyone should read about relating to the Bay – go find them. There’s hours of film on the Bay – go watch them. The Bay, for most, is right there. Go see it.
-John and Steph
p.s.: stay for the sunsets…
Here is the current weather and a map to help you plan your trip:
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