Hopewell Rocks

Location: Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick, Canada
Address:  131 Discovery Road
Date: July 2006
Website: www.thehopewellrocks.ca

    Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick experience some of the highest tides in the world.  There is only a 6 hour gap between high and low tide. You can walk on the ocean floor during low tide and then come back later in the day and see the water fill back in.  You can see the difference between the two photos (above and below).

The resulting erosion from the tides has created the unusually shaped flowerpot rocks.  These rocks experience higher erosion at their base and therefore appear to defy gravity.

  Most recently in 2016 one of the more popular rock formations lost its battle with erosion and collapsed.  This is just how erosion works and eventually all of the rocks will lose their fight against the water.

 

  The erosion is accelerated by these high tides.  Being immersed in water is not as damaging as having all that water push in and pull out again several times a day.

  When the tide goes out, seaweed clings to the rock waiting to be happily submerged in water yet again.

  We visited the Hopewell Rocks on two different days in order to see both high and low tides.  There are tide timetables on their website that can help you plan your trip.

  Most people want the experience of walking on the ocean floor when the tide is low.  Later you can see the same area where the water level would be up over your head.

   Some people rented kayaks in order to explore the rocks during hide tide.  If you have good eyes you may be able to spot a kayak on the right hand side of the photo above.

  We stayed in Moncton, New Brunswick where you can also experience the Tidal Bore.  The river was dry.  We then sat in the bleachers of Bore View Park and waited for the river to return.  Sure enough it started to make its way back along the riverbed.   It traveled sort of like how an overturned glass spills its contents across a counter top.  A tidal bore is the name for the little wave that is created as the water is pushed back up the river by the tides.  It has nothing to do with how exciting it is.  While not a particularly dramatic event, it is a great example of how gravity, the moon, the sun and the earth affect the water on our planet. 

  The Bay of Fundy and the Hopewell Rocks area in general is a great spot to see what the tide brought in....and what it left behind.

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Map of Our World
Hopewell Rocks Park , Bore View Park

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Post # 184

Canada Coast To Coast

1. British Columbia
2. Alberta
3. Saskatchewan
4. Manitoba
5. Ontario
6. Quebec
7. New Brunswick
8. Prince Edward Island
9. Nova Scotia
10. Newfoundland

  This year Canada is celebrating its 150th year of Confederation.  We are lucky enough to have seen the country from coast to coast.  We have been to all ten provinces and even touched the tidal waters of Nunavut from Churchill, Manitoba.  The territories are on our travel wish list.  Below is a list of just one of our favourite things from each province.

1 ) British Columbia

BC has the animals, the Pacific Ocean and so much more. One of our favourite things was tea at The Empress Hotel in Victoria. Read More

2 ) Alberta

Alberta shares the Rocky Mountains with BC, but Alberta has Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise.  We fell in love with the snow capped mountains. Read More.

3 ) Saskatchewan

Yes it is flat, but the fields with rolls of hay and the blue skies have a feel all their own.  It also seemed to have a never ending sunset as we drove westward. Read More

4 ) Manitoba

This is the furthest north we have ever been in Canada.  Our favourite thing in Manitoba is the polar bears of Churchill. Read More.

5 ) Ontario

We spend most of our time in the province of Ontario.  Algonquin Park is our favourite place to really get away from it all. Read More.

6 ) Quebec

Hotel de Glace is built each winter just outside of Quebec City.  We spent a night inside this palace of ice. Read More.

7 ) New Brunswick

The Hopewell Rocks are formed by the high tidal fluctuations that occur in the area.  You can walk down beneath the unusual rocks and 6 hours later the water has returned and filled everything back in. Read More.

8 ) Prince Edward Island

Our brief two day visit to PEI was 48 hours of rain.  We did enjoy getting to and from the island.  First we drove across the marvel that is Confederation Bridge and then we saw the red soil when we left on a ferry.  We will return.  Read More.

9 ) Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has Peggy's Cove and Cape Breton Island.  One of our best days in the province was spent at the Halifax Public Gardens. Read More.

10 ) Newfoundland

Iceberg Alley passes right around the top of Newfoundland.  We were lucky to see these gigantic 10,000 year old pieces of glacial ice as they floated in the Atlantic Ocean. Read More.

Ten provinces and ten wonderful memories.  

HAPPY 150th BIRTHDAY CANADA !!

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Map of Our World
Banff Gondola , Saskatchewan , Hopewell Rocks Park , Halifax Public Gardens , Witless Bay
Empress Hotel , Hotel De Glace , Confederation Bridge
Tundra Buggy Tour , Algonquin Park (Lake Opeongo)

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Post # 181

Confederation Bridge

Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Address: Confederation Bridge
Date: July 2006
Website:  www.confederationbridge.com

  If you wanted to bring a car to Prince Edward Island you used to have no choice but to do it by boat.  In May 1997 the Confederation Bridge opened and allowed people to drive across to the island.  The good news is that if you wish to visit Canada's smallest province it is free to drive across.  The bad news is that you will have to pay if you ever want to leave again.

  The bridge took about three and a half years to build.  It spans 13 kilometres over the Northumberland Strait.  It starts in the province of New Brunswick and ends in PEI.  When we last checked, the toll was about $50 per vehicle to leave PEI again.

  Another option for leaving Prince Edward Island is to take the ferry.  We chose this option.  The ferry will cost you as well so don't think you are getting away without paying your fair share.  As our trip was taking us further east this option made the most sense.  We drove from Shediac, New Brunswick to Cavendish, PEI.  After a few days visit we headed east again to Wood Islands, PEI where we caught the ferry to Caribou, Nova Scotia.  It was then eastern bound once more to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

  We had crossed the Confederation Bridge in a downpour and the rain stayed with us while we were on the island.  Despite the grey skies, our ferry trip allowed us to get up on the deck and finally get some fresh sea air.   The mud in PEI is red due to its high iron-oxide content.  Our ferry set sail and we left the red mud of Prince Edward Island behind.  We vowed to return when the sun was shining to check out this province once again.  Hey,  it wouldn't even cost us anything to drive over there.

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Map of Our World
Confederation Bridge
Wood Islands to Caribou Ferry

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Post # 121

Shediac's Giant Lobster

Location: Shediac, New Brunswick, Canada
Address: 229 Main St.
Date: July 2006
Website:  www.shediac.ca

  The town of Shediac, New Brunswick calls itself the Lobster Capital of the World.  It does have a large lobster fishing industry and it also has one very large lobster.  Located on the main street, it is in fact the World's Largest Lobster.  The sculpture is about 35 feet long and 16 feet wide and was built in 1990.  The lobster is joined by a regular sized fisherman and, during our visit at least, several excited children.

  Right next to the lobster is the Tourist Information Centre and Gift Shop. Here you can plan the rest of your maritime visit as well as purchase some souvenirs.  There was also another fisherman sitting amongst some lobster traps and providing a great photo opportunity.

  Looking out over the water behind the giant lobster we spotted some great blue herons in the distance.  We also had to put some distance between us and Shediac as we were headed to Prince Edward Island next.  We came for the lobsters, both the delicious lobster rolls we enjoyed at the nearby Lobster Deck restaurant and to see the giant one that sits by the shore.

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Map of Our World
Shediac's Giant Lobster

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Post # 43