High Tides

The Bay of Fundy is home to the highest tides in the world as well as wonderful seafood

Our first dinner in Alma included local scallops.

We motored up the coast from Bar Harbor to Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, along the Bay of Fundy. This was our destination to witness the highest tides in the world—and to sample the seafood from these dynamic waters. According to the GPS, the ride from Bar Harbor was supposed to be four and a half hours, but it actually took us about eight hours. We were touring, not racing.

On the way, we stopped at a sculpture garden in Sullivan, Maine, that provided a serene retreat from the road traffic. The sculptures surrounded a working quarry and various artisans were working in the mini-village of lean-to studios. This is rural Maine, nothing fancy here, except for the amazing art.

The sculptures at the stone quarry were joyous and expressive.

We drove along an inland road, since the lands that border the Bay of Fundy are native Mi’kmaq territory, and no inroads traversed the deep green forest. We cut over to the coast on a winding road, dodging motorbikes, and found chalets that were perched on the top of a hill overlooking the Bay at low tide. Fundy National Park has interesting accommodations, from campsites and yurts to the very quaint Fundy Highlands Motel and Chalets. Anne-Marie, the proprietor, was helpful with tips, and her first suggestion was to go for dinner now, because the village of Alma shuts down early.

Tipsy Tails in Alma is a waterfront restaurant offering seating with a view overlooking the marina.

We landed at the Tipsy Tails Restaurant, and it was a great find. Seated outdoors, we could see the boats resting on the harbor bottom, slightly askew. Trucks motored around the seabed floor, pushing red earth into mounds and hauling it away. Our server, Abby, was gracious and didn’t try to hurry us, despite our being the last ones seated at 7:30. The drink menu was intriguing, and John experimented with a tequila-based Bloody Mary served with a fried dill pickle and pickled pepper. My white wine was nice and cold. We shared a scallops appetizer, and each had a bowl of seafood chowder served with a delicious, crusty biscuit loaded with roasted fennel seeds, scallions, cheddar, and dulse flakes.

A spicy Bloody Mary, Seafood Chowder garnished with crisp curls of parsnip, and a crusty biscuit.

We discovered a bonus when we went to the park in the morning. All Canadian National Parks are free this summer to encourage people to visit them. The Parks program on Alma beach, again at low tide, was led by a dynamic young ranger who explained the ecosystem. Dominique slipped effortlessly back and forth between French and English as our group of about 10 was a mixed one. We learned about the history of the park, the geology of the area, and the pull of the tides that makes the region so unusual. And we walked the ocean floor at low tide to see what creatures remained in the soft mud.

Dominique, the park ranger, led an interpretive program at Alma Beach.

Afterwards, we explored various beaches in the area, hiking down to walk along the rocky shore. Most were deserted, with all the crowds concentrated at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, where the tidal change is extreme. The sea-carved rock towers are dramatic, and the descent to the sea floor is a popular activity. Our ticket at the Provincial park was good for 24 hours, so we could witness the area at high tide as well the next day on our way up the coast.

Harvey Beach could be accessed by climbing down the steep slope.

Dinner that night was a picnic at a dry creek near a covered bridge at Wolfe’s Point. We snacked on smoked bay scallops and mussels, cheese, bread, and fruit.

Picnic supper at Wolfe's Point. Canadian national parks have a red chair program that places Adirondack chairs at scenic spots to encourage people to soak in the view.

We enjoyed the alfresco meal—until the sun went down and the mosquitoes started to circle. Then we made a hasty retreat back to our little chalet.

Our vintage chalet at Fundy National Park was built in 1950.

Dominique had explained that morning that Fundy was the first national park in Canada. When it was built between 1948 and 1950, recreation theory dictated that a park should have chalets, a golf course, and a saltwater swimming pool. There were 47 campsites, as that was not a significant concern at the time. Today, there are five campgrounds with 521 campsites, in addition to backcountry wilderness sites.

Hopewell Rocks is a popular destination for visitors who want to walk on the sea floor at low tide.

The next day, we headed north to brave the crowds and visit Hopewell Rocks again at high tide. Then we headed over the Confederation Bridge to our next destination—Prince Edward Island, the mussel capital of North America.