Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a deep inland bay lying between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and is adjacent to the U.S. state of Maine. The bay is famous for having the largest tidal amplitude in the world. Twice a day 100 billion tons of water rise and fall, and on the outer edge of the bay at the southwest coast of Nova Scotia the tidal amplitude usually reaches the normal level – about 3.5 m, and in the narrow May-nas Basin – 16 m. This is explained by the unique geology of the bay, which becomes narrow and shallow closer to shore. Not only is there a large tidal amplitude, but there are also very fast currents in some places, and underwater mountains and gorges create additional turbulence.
General Information
Tidal forces contribute to the erosion of red sandstone and volcanic rocks around the water, which has resulted in spectacular cliffs, caves, and other bizarre formations, of which the cliffs of Howell Cape are the most famous. Erosion not only creates very spectacular figures here, but also washes out of the sandstones the remains of fossils that have been here for over three hundred million years or more, as well as fossils from volcanic rocks 200 million years old.
.The effects of the tide are also felt in the rivers that flow into the bay. For example, at low tide the waters of the St. John River are famous for whirlpools in St. John Harbor where the river flows into the bay, but at high tide the ocean waters inhibit the flow of the river, creating a reverse current of water, said to be a completely unique experience for boaters at this time. The same phenomena can be observed in the narrower parts of the bay itself.
Another result of the ebb tide is the “Old Pigweed”, the second largest whirlpool in the world, after Norway’s Malstrom, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. It can be seen from the coast of New Brunswick, and gets its name from the grunting sounds the water makes. About 3 hours before high tide, the current around the islands of the bay begins to swirl into a funnel 76 meters wide. Most often there are several whirlpools due to the unevenness of the bottom, however, if the spring tide (the strongest tides occur after a full or new moon) coincides with a period of strong winds, the currents can reach speeds of 11 km/h and result in just one colossal whirlpool or many smaller whirlpools spinning violently..The bay is also famous for its abundance of flora and fauna. Here, tidal currents constantly scour the seabed for nutrients that form the basis of a long food chain, from lobsters and scallops, which are essential to the Bay’s economy, to deadflies, common terns and millions of migrating wading birds feeding on krill and fish, which the Bay’s famous visitors, whales and dolphins, also feed on. Striped, sei whales and minke whales, smooth whales, orcas, humpback and blue whales, as well as dolphins such as Arctic white whales, striped dolphins and porpoises are regularly seen here. Even giant white sharks have been caught in the bay!
.The most notable of the cetaceans are the endangered smooth whales: there may be only about 300 left in the world. They come to the Bay of Fundy in the summer before returning to their winter grounds near the southwestern coast of the United States. These slow-moving whales, which throw up tall fountains of water, were once abundant in the Atlantic Ocean, but have been so actively destroyed that they have been protected since 1935. Watching these graceful animals move effortlessly on the surface of the water will make any trip unforgettable.
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