You can walk on the ocean floor in the Bay of Fundy after the world's highest (four-storey) tides recede
Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick - The Hopewell Rocks on Bay of Fundy 47 km (29 miles) southwest of Moncton is one of the most accessible places to experience the ‘the world’s greatest tides’. You can learn about this massive movement of water through interactive exhibits, but what's really cool is you can kayak around the unique rock formations at high tide, then return just hours later and walk along the ocean floor after the tide has receded. The reason why the tides are so great is because of the funnel shape and length of the Bay. The gravitational pull of the moon, sun and other planets sends a wave of water up the bay that doubles up on itself as it moves up the funnel. By the time it recedes about 13 hours later, it’s just in time to contribute to the volume of the next incoming wave, causing a rhythmic effect known as sloshing. Tides can work their way up to more than 16 meters (54 feet) in some areas of the Bay. You can support the Bay of Fundy in the international New 7 Wonders of Nature competition with your vote atwww.VoteMyFundy.com- or simply text the world FUNDY to 77077 (each vote costs 25 cents). Deadline for voting is Nov. 11, 2011.
Where: The Bay of Fundy touches the state of Maine and then stretches for 270 km (170 miles) up between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. St. Andrews N.B is a charming resort town with sea kayaking and boat tours. The city of Saint John sits half-way up the coast on the New Brunswick side of the Bay, and as you continue north to Hopewell, you'll pass through the 206 sq km Fundy National Park. Migratory birdwatching is very popular along the coast. Quick Tip: The tides increase by 20 percent during new and full moons. In the News: It's interesting to note that some of the rock formations are called 'flowerpots' and it was Ripley, of 'Ripley or Not' fame who first used this word for them. |
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Hopewell Rocks Photo courtesy of City of Moncton Tourism / Joggins photoin video courtesy of Nova Scotia Tourism
Lucy Izon
Canada Cool is produced by award-winning Canadian travel writer & speaker Lucy Izon. Her travel stories & reports have appeared in numerous leading North American publications including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, and Chicken Soup for the Traveler's Soul. Bio page
Canada’s Coolest:
Welcome to a new feature on Canada Cool. I'll be presenting different 'Coolest' lists with my favorites and I encourage you to nominate suggestions from your own experiences. You can Twitter @CanadaCool or email [email protected]. Let me know what makes your suggestion exceptionally cool. Remember, by contributing your comments you are giving Canada Cool permission to quote you. Only a selection of submissions will be included, but all comments and submissions are greatly appreciated!
The first feature is: Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives
Here are some of my favorites...
The Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park, Alberta - This 229 km (142 mi) Rocky Mountain route from Banff/Lake Louise to Jasper passes 100 frozen rivers and nudges the base of the Athabasca Glacier - the most accessible glacier in the world. You can stop and explore it. It spills down from the Columbia Icefield, an area of ice so massive that you could fit the entire population of North America on it with each person getting at least a square metre of space.
The Corridor, Algonquin Park, Ontario – this 56-km stretch of Hwy 60 cuts through the southwest section of Algonquin Park. Less than three hours north of Toronto the park is a nature-lover's paradise with 7,725 km of lakes, rivers, forest, trails, camping, comfortable lodges and 2000 km of canoe routes. Offers hiking trails to stop and enjoy, but what makes it really cool is that it’s one of the best places in North America to spot moose (especially in May and June). And, on Thursday nights in August up to 600 cars will gather to listen to wolves howl.
The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia – Driving this 303 km (187 mile) route is like riding a roller-coaster: the road snakes around hairpin turns, rises to heights over 365 metres (1200 ft), weaves around headlands revealing spectacular coastal scenery, and plunges down to sea level taking you into the heart of small fishing communities. The most dramatic scenery is between the Cape Breton Highlands National Park entrance near Cheticamp and Pleasant Bay, so go slow. And, plan some flexibility into your schedule, so you can drive it on a clear day.
And here are some of your nominations for 'Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives'...
More from Canada’s Coolest
'Canada's Coolest' topics we'll be publishing in the future:
- Golf Course Features
- Haunted Hotels
- Hotel Special Services
Send your suggestions to [email protected]
Recent 'Canada's Coolest' topics:
