Down Home Charm

Chris Erb: 29th May 2006 - 04:09 GMT

How far away is Wolfville from Halifax.

It looks nice but rather boring from my perspective as I see this all the time here in New Brunswick.

Chris Erb: 29th May 2006 - 04:10 GMT

Sorry, the first sentence should be a question.

EvilGentleman: 29th May 2006 - 08:35 GMT

First and foremost, never, ever walk out to the water on the tidal flats. Those mud flats can sometimes extend for miles into the bay, and the Minas Basin of the Bay of Fundy has either the highest or second-highest tides in the world, at over 50 feet (The Inuit village of Tasiujaq, Quebec on Ungava Bay is the other contender for the tide title. One has a higher average tide, the other a higher spring tide. I forget which is which, although I have been to both) When the tide comes in over the tidal flats, a tidal "wave" several feet high can form, and it moves extremely fast, faster than most people can run when they have good traction, which you will not have on the slippery flats. It is a fairly common event for tourists to get trapped by the rising tide, and not all of them are lucky enough to get rescued.

The other arm of the Bay of Fundy, known as Chignecto Bay, is responsible for a very similar phenomenon on the Petitcodiac River in Moncton, New Brunswick, known as the tidal bore. There, the water rushes around an island, and the two walls of water collide at high speed. It is quite an interesting sight. Not as high, but also of note is the Reversing Falls of Saint John. New Brunswick. This is where the Saint John River goes over a set of low falls at low tide, but at high tide, the tidal flow overwhelms the falls and "reverses" them, until they are submerged.

The reason I advise against wandering out to the low tide line is from personal experience. When I was 16, I went cruising with a friend to the village of Morden, on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. He wanted to sit by the high tide line and think about some problems he was having, so I wandered off for a walk by myself in the 3 AM moonlight. I wound up being drawn to the sound of waves crashing onto the rocky shore, and wandered over to the low tide line. Then I realized that I was half a mile offshore, and the tide was coming in - fast! I ran as fast as I could for the hight tide line, and every time I looked back, the water was less then ten feet behind me, and a few times, it briefly overtook me, as I was running as fast as I could, but slipped a couple of times on the algae on the rocks. Luckily for me, the slope steepened after a quarter of a mile, and I was able to slow down a bit as I continued running towards safety. And this area has tides a few feet lower than in the Minas Basin. I imagine that if I had been there, I would not have made it. In this particular area, the shape of the tidal slope causes the tide to behave more like the bottom of a bathtub, as opposed to a wave pool. The water just rapidly rises, but does not form large waves. But I definitely learned my lesson from that.

I have much more to say about parties at Acadia and the shore parties we used to have at the mouth of Connors Brook north of Greenwood, but there are so many stories and so much to say, that I think I will leave it for later.

Chris, Wolfville is about an hour northwest of Halifax, along highway 101, which is a two-lane controlled access freeway.

elaine: 29th May 2006 - 08:54 GMT

big nature is no domestic pet.
in the uk we are accustomed to thinking of the sea as a play area, and although there are lifeboats they are for boating emergencies. we don't have much in the way of rip tides or any other major hazards for the casual swimmer. however, a couple of years ago several people were killed in a similar context to evilg's in that they were on the flats. they were cockle pickers, illegal workers, being taken there at night to collect cockles. the misty nature of the surroundings and the insiduous way the tide comes in means you don't even always know where the land is, the water just rises. one person phoned his family in china to tell them he was dying. the employers were taken to court recently, but the practice still goes on.

Tyfoid Kid: 30th May 2006 - 20:48 GMT

Speaking to the tourists just don't know comment.
This lava rock outcropping on Lumahi Beach in Kuaui looks innocent enough. It's killed several people and when we were there last fall there was memorial to the parents of a six year old who got killed here. People are drawn to the edge of the out cropping and then a large wave washes them away.

Tyfoid Kid: 30th May 2006 - 20:50 GMT

I forgot to mention. I love the pictures. The big tasty lobster and that mud is great color.

julia brake: 13th Sep 2006 - 20:43 GMT

we are traveling to Nova scotia from michigan. thanks for the warnings I was wondering about walking on the ocean floor. I`ve heard another story about two girls near yarmouth at the lighthouse standing on the rocks and a freak wave came and took them. People should really be warned when traveling to this area. thanks again

Bluenose: 7th Apr 2007 - 20:11 GMT

for those of you that do not know Fundy tides are the highest in the world

Peter: 23rd Feb 2009 - 05:00 GMT

wow, fascinating... thanks for the background, eg...