Goodbye Maritimes New Brunswick
“A beautiful place that I paradoxically want to hoard to myself and share with everyone I meet.” - John Hodgman
The 8-day idyll was coming to an end. We had traveled through the dramatic beauty of the Maritimes, picturesque seaside villages, beaches, the freshest and tastiest of sea food, history, and interesting architecture.
This was a completely new world to me, despite having lived on the West Coast and near the Pacific Ocean all my life. It has woken a zest to explore the Eastern seaboard. Perhaps a trip for the summer of 2025.
They were not kidding when they called this the chocolate river. Colored brown by the sediment it carries, the Petitcodiac River flows about 79 miles across New Brunswick and past Hopewell Rocks which was our first destination in New Brunswick.
The Hopewell Rocks are also called the flowerpot rocks. Sea stacks shaped in various shapes with fanciful names like E.T., Mother-in-law, elephant, etc. have been created by water erosion. This area in the Bay of Fundy is subject to the highest tides in the world.
The Bay of Fundy is an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean and at low tide the bottom is uncovered enough that people can walk and explore the area. We arrived here as the tide was coming in and hurried to descend to the sea level and actually walk the ocean floor. What a thrill.
The Reversing Falls are a series of whirlpools, waves and white-water rapids that are created when the tides of the Bay of Fundy collide with the St. John River.
At low tide, the Bay of Fundy tides are below the river and the flow of the water creates turbulent rapids and whirlpools that travel both clockwise and anticlockwise. At high tide the water in the Bay rises above the river and creates a reverse effect and huge waves.
At slack tide when the water levels of the two are equal, there are calm waters, and these 20 minutes are the only time a boat can safely navigate the reversing rapids.
Women might not have had the right to vote and even now might not be in control of their biology, but they have risen to the occasion when called upon to hold and defend what is theirs. Such is the story of Francoise-Marie Jacquelin wife of Charles La Tour Governor of St. John.
When her husband was away and she was in charge, she defended the fort and defeated the enemy, a fellow Frenchman who wanted to have sole power in this part of the world.
Unfortunately, she was defeated by treachery and deception, but you can hear and see her story at the Fort La Tour just outside of St. John, New Brunswick.
The Lobster Fleet docked in port. This area is famous for the lobsters, scallops, mussels and fresh sea food and fishing is one of the main industries here.
A grand finale, the last chance to enjoy the seafood in this area. Fabulous fresh lobsters.
St. John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada established by royal Charter in 1785. It has the third largest seaport in Canada and due to its location and the tides in the Bay of Fundy is one port that never ices over in the winter.
The architecture of the city is an eclectic mix of Victorian, Romanesque, Georgian, Queen Anne and modern.
The Three Sisters Lamp visible from three miles out to sea served as a lifeline for sailors navigating the tricky waters of the St. John harbor during the night.
Kings Square an urban park in St. John surrounded by historically significant buildings like the Imperial Theater and the St. John City Market. Within the Park itself are markers and plaques paying tribute to individuals who have contributed to the city’s heritage.
The square was first established in 1785 at the city's inception and then turned into a park in 1844.
The entire Martimes region is rich in lighthouses. I wish we had had more time to explore some of the lighthouses. Perhaps one day I can look at creating an itinerary that features tracking and visiting historically significant lighthouses across Maine and the Maritimes.
I've taken a large bite of the apple but there is so much more to explore both on the American and the Canadian side. I vaguely recalled that there is a lot of history in this region both good and bad but now my interest and appetite has been whetted.
Au revoir, À bientôt, until we meet again.