New Brunswick: Bay of Fundy

My time largely was spent in the lower section of the Bay of Fundy from a night in Saint John to an end in Saint Andrews By-the-Sea. We spent two nights exploring the wonders of Grand Manan Island. Covered in fog for most of the summer, we saw quick shots of the surrounding water and tall, eroded cliffs from years of tides on our hikes with locals. With visits to the Grand Manan Museum, Whale & Seabird research station and a one-of-a-kind chance to visit the largest puffin colony on Machias Seal Island, we quickly learned the rich marine life of New Brunswick is full of diverse life and wonder. 

We also had the chance to kayak in the fog and ended the night with a lobster boil on the beach. The experience of quietly paddling into the unknown was one of the most serene and beautiful kayaking experiences I have ever had. The lobster boil was delicious and even came with a tutorial on how to properly de-shell and enjoy your freshly cooked lobster. 
Waving farewell to Grand Manan on our first sunshine-filled day, we took our ferry back North to Blacks Harbour and headed West towards Deer Island. We had another incredible day of kayaking with one of the best guides in Canada and his team. We left the shelter of the bay and headed right for the tricky tidal currents. This was a great day full of wildlife viewing, conversation and some of the hardest paddling I have done! I slept very well. :) We were also treated to an amazing dinner and music show put on by the local residents of Deer Island. We spent the night singing and dancing to the wonderful tunes.

After saying our farewells to Deer Island, we popped on two more smaller ferries and headed to Campobello Island. First, we were taken on a wonderful whale watching tour and learned about the whale rescue life of the men and women living on Campobello. These islanders spend their days fishing and working on the water. Through their own organization of the Whale RescueTeam, this network responds to any and all calls for whale rescue. The dedication to saving whales was remarkable and the stories we heard make you respect the time and effort it takes to rescue these giant mammals. Another gem of New Brunswick, was our visit to the Roosevelt Campobello International Park, run by both Canada and the United States. The afternoon was spent learning about FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt summers on the island. The employees of this park shared words filled of love and respect for the Roosevelt family and we left feeling like we had truly seen a glimpse of the Roosevelt's lives. We also had the chance to sleep on the grounds in one of the nearby cottages. A memory I will never forget was spending a night in a home that was once visited by FDR himself, playing pool and reading books in the rooms.  

On our last full day we headed back to the mainland to the seaside town, Saint Andrews By-the-Sea. Here we saw our first and only glimpse of the horizontal effects of the tide. While Grand Manan and Deer Island had the vertical changes of the tide, seeing the vast rock, marine life and sand emerge was quite a sight. We spent the late morning on a one of kind cycle tour. Once we were fitted with our bikes, we added a touch of New Brunswick pride and Scottish Heritage by donning kilts. A quick ride around the city and we found ourselves a tea house for lunch. Our afternoon was spent back on the water. We were all issued Mustang Survival suits and headed out on our last zodiac adventure. This was a closer whale watching tour than our last. We zipped around the entire shore of Deer Island and Campobello while we chased porpoises and Minke Whales. Our last meal together was shared at the Rossmount Inn. A delicious meal with new friends and memories was the perfect end to a perfect exploration of the Bay of Fundy. I look forward to returning to New Brunswick and exploring more of this amazing province.