Trailing the World’s Highest Tides

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(Edited)

Trailing the World’s Highest Tides
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On the road to St. Martin’s
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All along the east coast of New Brunswick, The Bay of Fundy, you can experience the world’s highest tides. It’s a place that rests in my heart like no other. I’ve been there many times. It’s packed with memories that unpack when I visit, while more are added. These photos are from my last visit in 2014, when it was still possible to travel to New Brunswick freely.
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Layers of red sandstone
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Eroded crevice in sandstone
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All along the coast is this red sandstone. It’s so soft, that rubbing it lightly with your fingers loosens particles of sand from the stone. The erosion rate is very high, causing rapid changes in the coastline. The Atlantic Ocean carves all kinds of sculptures as the tides eat away at the sandstone annually.
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St. Martins
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St. Martins
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St. Martins
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The Fundy Trail begins at the edge of a tiny village called St. Martins. This spot in particular is one of my favourites for several reasons. There are natural caves carved out by the tides. During low tide, it’s possible to walk around exploring the ocean floor and caves. I wandered about connecting with nature, taking photos, and getting lost in the experience, my usual.
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The caves at St. Martins
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Above the heads of the people in this photo, the waterline is visible, marked by the green seaweed just below it. At high tide, the cave will be filled to just over half its height. It’s crucial to be very aware of the tides all along the bay. It’s quite easy to become trapped while it’s sneaking in behind you, stealthy fast. The water is icy cold, even in summer, with an undertow that will pull you under and out to sea.
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Edge of the caves, left of the previous photo
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Further back along the same cliff, looking towards the beach, obscured by a long kelp covered stretch of sandstone at the bottom
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Close up of the cliff on one side of the beach
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Here, the sandstone is embedded with conglomerate stone throughout. The stones are all rounded. It looks like nature’s cliff wall masonry creation. It’s stunning up close. Stones are half buried in the soft sandstone, protruding out. As the cliffs erode, these stones loosen and fall, becoming part of the beach, which is covered with them.

This is one of my top favourite spots to go rockhounding, another long time interest. I’ve found snowy quartz, clear quartz, serpentine, agate, calcite, pyrite, and many types of conglomerate stone.
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Front and back of a piece of pyrite I found
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Three brown agates I found
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Sprouting lentil sculpture in brown agate
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When I’m rockhounding, I’m on the lookout for stones to carve, ones that speak to me that way. The miniature sculpture in the above photo is in process of being carved from a piece of brown agate that I found. There are small orange inclusions of calcite throughout it, giving the stone a speckled appearance. I propped it up with an old hairy screw for size comparison.
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Close up of sandstone cliff with lime green seaweed
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Lichens growing on the sandstone, nature painting
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Some periwinkles, barnacles and kelp covering sandstone
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When I finish wandering, I take a break and sit on the beach, close to the water. It’s time to “just be”. I like to stay there for a couple hours, watching the ocean waves rolling in, listening to the sounds of the water playing with the smaller stones as it rolls them. I meditate and recharge, the ocean cleansing me.
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Just inside the west entrance to the Fundy Trail
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This is a different type of rock that had to be blasted in order to make the trail itself. Always, it’s necessary to keep an eye out for falling rock while driving.
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Lookout point on the trail
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From the same lookout point with a view of an old sawmill river and the Interpretive Centre for tourists
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Closer view of Interpretive Centre area
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Southwestern view of the coastline from another lookout point
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Northeastern view of the coastline further along the trail
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Beach view from another lookout point with a bench to sit and enjoy the sights
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Spruce tree rooted on a giant piece of orange calcite
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Another view of the same spruce tree
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Drawing in brush and fine point markers of the spruce roots encapsulating the calcite.
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I was awestruck seeing this large spruce tree grabbing a massive piece of calcite with its roots. I couldn’t resist doing a drawing of it, since my sketchbook is always near at hand. I brought a few loose pieces of that calcite home with me to bring back the memory of that incredible find. I’ve only seen such a thing once in my life.

The next four photos are from an area along the trail where the tides have carved out a tiny tall island. It looked like a sculpture to me. An unexpected surprise on the trail. Taking these shots was more precarious. It was necessary to lay flat on my stomach half under the wood fence and inch up to the cliff edge. It’s a straight drop down and very crumbly sandstone, so no standing. The foot trails close to the cliff edge have to be regularly repaired due to the erosion rate.
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This place resonates deeply with me. I'd love to visit the Bay of Fundy again.
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All photos taken by Nine with a Pentax digital 35mm camera.
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For those wondering why this post is muted:

galenkp chose to mute this post in retaliation, among other shady behind the scenes behaviour since I gave him the boot somewhere around two years ago. He has muted this post because I chose not to allow him to control me, give me orders, influence what I write, who to upvote, who not to upvote, whose posts to comment on, whose posts to ignore, etc.
No one controls me. I have always been and will always be captain of my own ship. Deal with it.

weekend-engagement nature ocean bayoffundy photography rockhound meditation palnet creativecoin neoxian
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48 comments
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From the looks of things, the agate would be a better skipper than the pyrite. I might've like the sketch the most. Sacred eh.

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You never know until you give it a go throw. Glad you enjoyed the sketch.

Thanks for dropping by!

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Damn you, now I want to go there! Ok, so in truth it's not totally your fault, just mostly.

Great snaps, great information and you better be around to be my guide!

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LOL! I think you'd really enjoy it, great hiking and you hit the ocean with your kayak, minus sharks. Maybe make friends with a brown or black bear 😉

Thank you and sure, definitely available as guide. Can't have you missing out on the best fish feasting.

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The swing of that tide is amazing, sounds like something I'd like to see first hand. I envisage a picnic of fish feasting up top whilst the tide rolls in below.

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I think you most definitely need the first hand experience. All the fish, fresh caught, that you can stuff your face with. Outdoor adventures that will take you weeks to explore. It's a beautiful place. I miss it.

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Seems like somewhere I'd probably feel quite comfortable - colder than I'm used to - but that's ok.

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The water is colder than you're used to, especially in the areas I photographed. Parlee Beach is also on the bay, another provincial park, where the water is much more amenable to be in.

If you make the trip, best time is July and August. You can always snuggle a bear for extra warmth. 🤪

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Oh yeah, cold water isn't so good for obvious reasons. But no sharks is a good thing, here one redesignateds oneself as a shark biscuit the moment one dips a toe in the water.

And the bears? Yeah, we'll be good mates I think, Snuggle up for warmth.

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You get used to the water, but yeah, certain circumstances, cold is not good. I will however take the cold over being a shark biscuit. I've never been fond of them, even without direct contact.

This guy looks like he wants to snuggle:
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Oh yeah, there's my buddy! We'll be good mates for sure. He looks friendly.

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LOL, he seemed like just the right fit and he's walking right towards you.

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Did you carve that sprouting lentil, or was it just an incredible coincidence that the agate formed like that?

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(Edited)

I'm carving it. It's the last sprouting lentil of a series of three carvings in different kinds of stone, all found on the beach at St. Martins. Agate would never form like that, LOL, at least none of the agates I've studied or found.

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Well, I'm off to go searching for an agate that naturally looks like a sprouting lentil. Should be a fairly simple quest, see you in several hundred years.

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😂 That's going to be like searching for the holy grail, may you journey well to the land of naturally formed lentil agates.

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the place looks beautiful, just my brain can't compute sea that is cold :D i am probably programed that way (sea = summer = hot = swimming)

that rock on last few photos looks like someone was rock stacking and just planted a tree on top of it :)

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Hahaha, well, in those photos it's summer, but in the areas I took the photos, it's not where you want to go swimming due to the danger, not including cold. There are other areas along the bay, with beautiful beaches where the water in summer is warmer and you won't get sucked out to sea so easily, providing one pays attention to the undertow.

that rock on last few photos looks like someone was rock stacking and just planted a tree on top of it :)

It does! LOL. That's not the only spot. There's another one called "Hopewell Rocks", with more:
Low tide
Tide on the way in, not fully high tide
Time-lapse video showing the tides there

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get sucked out to sea so easily, providing one pays attention to the undertow.

one day i will probably go somewhere and drown because of my brain programing of how sea works :D

that water moves more then 3m in a day. i will have to stick with montenegro and greece :)

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one day i will probably go somewhere and drown because of my brain programing of how sea works :D

😂😂😂
The locals there make sure anyone visiting that is well aware of what to pay attention to. They'd just love you there, I'm sure. You don't know what you're missing. 😜

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i had Vancouver on the list before all this (friend lives on boat there) so who knows :D

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Oh yeah, definitely you need to check Vancouver out, plus the rest of BC. It's always far more enjoyable when traveling to spend time with someone you know, such as a friend.

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That is some really outstanding and beautiful area up there, and lots of places to explore. And yes, one must be extremely careful not to get caught in the cave unawares. An old hairy screw? Wherever did you find that! lol.
Those last photos, wouldn't you love to be out there sitting up on top of there somehow? You could use a drone, and you can get some amazing shots that way.
Awesome post @nineclaws!!!

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It sure is gorgeous. Lots of good times to be had. 😊

An old hairy screw? Wherever did you find that! lol.

I was waiting for someone to comment on that, LOL. It's a screw that I used to do something when working with silicone, which got on the screw. I was also working with rabbit hide and sheep shearling, so hair from both wound up the screw, making for a very hairy screw. 😂

Those last photos, wouldn't you love to be out there sitting up on top of there somehow?

Very dangerous, since it could easily collapse, so you wouldn't want to be sitting up there. A drone is the best way. When I shot those photos, I took a risk, since I was right on the edge of the cliff, which could have crumbled from under me, if weight was placed on a weak spot. Laying flat minimizes that and allows for one to scramble back if need be.

Thanks so much @jamerussell! 😊

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Magnificent place for an artist to live. The “sea sculpture” looks so Zen, like a bonsai, which has been carefully manipulated to exhibit itself to perfection. It’s places like this that make you understand how nature can influence a person’s mind so that perception is altered by the mere clarity its memory conjures. I think you’d be a very different person after you’ve scaled those cliffs and looked out over that vista.

The roots growing “naked” over the rock begs for an artist. I can truly understand why you travel with a sketch book. It also begs for a novelist to trip into the world of imaginings and write a St Martins “Lord of the Rings” type saga.

What a spectacular place and your photos and description do it a very special justice. Obviously, the local tourist association should look into paying you a very hefty commission - the entire Hive community will be booking out local guest houses; they have you to thank.

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It’s places like this that make you understand how nature can influence a person’s mind so that perception is altered by the mere clarity its memory conjures.

Beautifully expressed @itsostylish. It does look like a bonsai. I originally took the photos of that "sea sculpture" (great description), to use as reference for a jade and ivory carving that I never got around to carving. The tree roots also was taken for reference for a carving.

It also begs for a novelist to trip into the world of imaginings and write a St Martins “Lord of the Rings” type saga.

I can't begin to tell you how much the people that live there would love that.

I'd highly recommend a trip there to anyone. There's so much to choose from, that appeal to many interests.

Thank you for lovely comment and checking out my post @itsostylish 😊

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Nature is incredible to creat such beautiful places. Tks four your effort taking those last 4 pictures. Yes indeed looks like bonsai sculpture.

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Thank you for taking time to check out my post @vaipraonde. 😊

I couldn't resist taking those last four. It was a complete surprise coming across that little bonsai like sculpture 😁.

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another great post nine. my mother's great grandfather was the keeper of the lighthouse at baddeck on cape breton island. his son used to sail boats built in the area down to new england to deliver them to buyers. and eventually settled in boston. once many years ago my mother, sister and i went up to visit the area stopping a good while in the bay of fundy. wonderful places.

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Oh wow! That's an incredible story. You have family origins there and have been in that to the Bay of Fundy. I'm really happy to hear that you've had that opportunity. I've never had the opportunity to go to Cape Breton Island, but sure wish I had. Lighthouses I always thought to be a big magical and I have no idea why.

Thank you @eolianpariah, I'm happy you enjoyed this post.

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I'm surprised you didn't stay, that place is so much better than the city :) You'll go back one day :)

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It's not a fit for a place to live. As far as going to visit, one has to apply for permission, meet all requirements, receive approval from the provincial government, and then show those papers at the border before one is allowed to enter the province. As of this past weekend, one now has to show papers to buy food and essentials each time one enters a store.

I don't expect to ever return there again because restrictions keep strangling people further as to what they are allowed and not allowed to do. There is no end to this in sight either, since it's how most people want to live life and I won't lie to myself about what I see happening in this country all around me.

You must be having a much easier time of it where you are. Some people seem to be faring better in other places.

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I never thought I would see the day where we need a shot to enter a store!!! This still feels like some sci-fi movie or book...

!PIZZA !ALIVE

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Yeah, it's pretty surreal, isn't it? Like a living nightmare dream.

I have to say though, it's starting giving me ideas for fiction stories, but I'm not sure I want to go there, lol.

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lol, check out mine - The Creation

We really don't want to go there!

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Noted, I'll most definitely check it out tonight. My mind seems to want to create story lines but I throw up a wall and wander off into photographing in the dark, LOL.

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Maybe try aaa story based on the pictures?

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I find it hard to write that way. When it comes to fiction, it has to start writing itself in my head, or I can't come up with anything except crap. It's the hardest thing for me to write.

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I would never guess - you are so good at it! Keep doing what you do 🙌

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Thank you, I think there's lots of room for me to improve, much growth required.

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Hey, we all need to grow a lot :) No problem as long as we are working on it 🙌

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I kind of expect my writing to get to the same quality as my visual art, so it's got a very long haul to go, as in years of practice, LOL. I seem to be more on the poetry side lately, just haven't posted those yet.

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I can see why this place is so special to you. It seems very rugged, wild, peaceful, so still, and what wonderful treasures she holds in her heart for others to discover. I was amazed at how high the tide comes in and saddened by the rate of erosion, but that is just nature coursing its way. Thank you for sharing such an inspiring post 💗

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There are many treasures to discover all along the coast and inland as well. It's the nature of the sandstone there being so soft that it is worn away by the tides easily. It reminds me that all of life is constantly changing. I'm happy you enjoyed my post and found it inspiring, thank you!

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