Bay of Fundy book launch tomorrow!

There's a very exciting event taking place tomorrow, October 2, in Albert County, New Brunswick: the launch of a biography of well-known Bay of Fundy naturalist, Mary Majka.

Mary is one of Canada’s great pioneering environmentalists. She is best known as a television host, a conservationist, and a driving force behind the internationally acclaimed Mary’s Point Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve on the Bay of Fundy.

Sanctuary (her authorized biography to be released this weekend) gives full expression to the intensely personal story of Mary’s life. A daughter of privilege, a survivor of World War II Poland, an architect of dreams, Mary Majka became passionately intent on protecting fragile spaces and species for generations to come.

In this amazing chronicle of determination and foresight, Deborah Carr reveals a complex, indomitable, thoroughly human being — flawed yet feisty, inspiring and inspired. With information gleaned from Mary’s own memories, present day scenes and passages of reportage, Sanctuary engages the reader in a shared remembering as Deborah weaves together the story of a young Polish girl named Marysia, who faced sorrow, loss and then war alone, and through this discovered a healing connection to nature. It is the story of how she evolved into the award-winning woman known as Mary Majka, who played a key role in preserving the natural and cultural heritage of New Brunswick and encouraged others to pursue their passion and make their own mark on the world.

But beneath all this, it is the story of finding sanctuary – of achieving that sacred place of acceptance and refuge, both in the world and within the soul.

The book launch for Sanctuary takes place Oct 2, from 2PM – 4PM at the Harvey Hall, 29 Mary’s Point Road, Harvey, Albert Co. (Near Riverside-Albert), NB. Both the author and Mary Majka will be there to sign books.

To read more about the story behind the writing of Sanctuary, visit author, Deborah Carr’s blog, What If?

"The Seacaptain's Wife" ~ new Bay of Fundy book

Anyone growing up in Bay of Fundy ship building communities commonly heard stories of folks who spent their early years traveling the world on ships built and captained from our shores. Indeed, it's well-known that not only men voyaged on these vessels but also their wives, sisters and children.

The women's side of the seafaring story is rarely fictionalized which is why I'm very excited to read Beth Powning's new book The Sea Captain's Wife. Here's an excerpt of a review in the Chroncle Herald:

Epic in its emotional intensity, The Sea Captain’s Wife charts both the inner and outer worlds of the young protagonist; her longing to sail, her romance and marriage to Capt. Nathaniel Bradstock, her resignation to life on land, the scandal that forces the couple to flee with their child to London, and the hardships encountered during the ocean voyage that takes them there.

Available to order on Chapters.com

New Fundy book in time for the holidays

I've always been fond of Bay of Fundy books, poems & music so it's great to see another book to add to the collection especially near the holidays. The book is Head of the Bay by Jeffrey Ward
"A History of the Maringouin Peninsula". Here's a book description as sent by Al Smith, with Tantramar Heritage Trust in Sackville, NB.

Tales of heroism, hardship, sacrifice and success animate the pages of The Head of the Bay, by Jeff Ward. The bay in question is the Bay of Fundy and, in particular, its upper end, where the Maringouin Peninsula divides its tidal waters into Shepody Bay and Cumberland Basin. Now virtually forgotten, the communities of the peninsula once played an important role in the industrial and commercial history of Atlantic Canada. In the nineteenth century, fortunes were won and lost in the shipyards and quarries of the district and place names such as Upper and Lower Rockport, Slacks Cove, Pink Rock, Hard Ledge, and Johnson’s Mills were known and respected far and wide. Ward succeeds unerringly in linking local stories to the wider sweep of current events, showing how even small places and modest lives can influence the shaping of the world.

Looks like a neat book ~ it can be ordered from Tantramar Heritage Trust's website.

At Last... A Bay of Fundy Limerick!

I've gotten used to seeing the Bay of Fundy used as a metaphor for predictability ("as regular as the Bay of Fundy tides") or for massive change ("the difference between them was like the difference between high and low tides on the Bay of Fundy") but I rarely see Fundy used in poetry. It, well....it just doesn't really rhyme with much or so I thought until I came across this clever limerick:

A man loved a gal named Bundy
Who came from the Bay of Fundy.
But to his despair,
She gave him the air
Sic transit gloria mundi.

No author indicated but it's 'poem of the day' on Jokes2Go.com.
(In case you're not up on your Latin, the last line means something like "so passes the glory of the world" - poor fella!)

Another Bay of Fundy book - this one for kids!

I've never owned a TV so that's freed up lots of time to explore my region and do a lot of reading! It will be no surprise then that I've combined the two interests with a collection of books and poetry about the Bay of Fundy. Here's another fun children's book: Return to the Sea by Heidi Jardine Stoddart.

In some ways it's a typical summer tale: young girl heads to the Maritime provinces from Ontario on holiday with her family. But she has a delightful sense of wonder about her experience with the Fundy tides... and I always enjoy reading about that!

(note for my U.S. readers: Canadians refer to the east coast provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI as 'the Maritimes')

"The Tides" - A poem

With plans heating up for tidal power here in the Bay of Fundy, I thought you might find this poem amusing. This was written back in the 1920s, when the only technology considered for harnessing tidal power was a barrage (full causeway - hugely damaging to the environment - across the bay!). Luckily, we've given up on that idea, but, recently, equipment used to assess tidal power potential here was destroyed in the Bay during testing!

From Grace Helen Mowat's 1928 book Funny Fables of Fundy....

A stranger once said to the tides in the Bay:
"How strange you should live in this indolent way;
You crawl up the strand then crawl down again
Why can't you be useful and helpful to men?
For the past thousand years you have been just the same,
Such an idle existence! It's really a shame!"

The tides, rather ruffled, cried "What do you wish?
We fill up the fish weirs and bring in the fish
And drift-wood and rock-weed and much else besides.
Why, everyone waits for the turn of the tides!
We've washed the shores clean and never once shirked
If you did half as much you would feel overworked!'

"I propose," said the stranger (ignoring their theme),
"To use all your strength in a practical scheme.
I studied at college before I came here,
And everyone thinks me a great engineer!
I can hardly expect you to know who I am,
But I'm seriously thinking of building a dam
To keep you in bounds, till I need you, of course,
And then I expect to control you by force.
You can turn wheels and cranks by this simple device
And greatly aid commerce. Now won't that be nice?"

The waves made no answer to what the man said;
But talking it over that evening in bed
They grumbled and murmured: "We need not fear him;
Beside our great strength his adventure looks slim.
If he built up this, it is perfectly plain,
We must all push together and break it again.
And, if this arrangement should fail to survive,
We can wash in a shark that will eat him alive!"

The engineer tactfully waited awhile
Then, appearing next morning, he said with a smile:
"Dear tides, I am taking a trip up to town,
I hope you need something that I can bring down?"

They haughtily said: "You may bring, if you wish,
Some good gelatine for the young jelly-fish."

The item he added at once to his list,
And spoke of returning before he was missed;
And just as he promised, came home the next night,
His pockets all bulging with plans, blue and white,
The gelatine too he remembered to bring
(For jelly-fish need it so much in the spring!)
"These plans," he explained, "will be gold to your shore
By giving employment to men by the score."

But the tides in a voice that was hollow and cold,
Said: "Our fishes are silver; we don't care for gold."

"How hopelessly dull," cried the great engineer.
"My college diploma is little use here!
"I cannot express how this talk makes me feel!",
And appearing quite angry, he turned on his heel.

The sea-gulls brought word that a numerous band
Of workmen were filling the channel with sand,
And talked or erecting a barrier so high,
That no tides could cross over unless they could fly.

"Very well," said the tides, "let him do as he will,
And we for a time will keep perfectly still
And wait for the Equinox gales in the Fall -
And they you will see what becomes of this wall!"

The sea-gulls that Autumn all gathered in flocks,
To await the return of the fall Equinox.
They were fighting for seats with the plovers and crows,
When all of a sudden the Equinox rose!

With rushing and roaring the tides came apace -
And dealt the great structure a slap in the face!

The engineer, viewing the frantic attack,
Admonished hte tides that they better keep back!
But they cried, "We are holding our annual ball,
When the Equinox comes for a dance in the fall."

Then the tides with fantastic grimaces upreared,
And the engineer groaned, "It is just as I feared!"
Down, down, went the dam and the sea-wall besides,
And the engineer fell with the wreck of the tides.
And the waves washed his pockets as clean as could be
And carried his plan and his gold out to sea.

He may have survived, for i know he could swim,
But the tides never more have been bothered with him.

MORAL:
These facts tell us plainly to look on all sides
Before we are tempted to tamper with tides;
And when we are strangers, wherever we go,
There's always a side that we still do not know;
And if we too suddenly start to reform
Our plans and our gold may be lost in the storm!

Fundy-themed gift idea

It seems that everyone (including gas stations and cell phone services) is in the business of proffering Christmas gift ideas so I though I'd get in the game. In addition recommending that you support our many potters, weavers, painters, jewelry makers, etc. around the Bay of Fundy, there are also many writers whose books might interest you.

Here's a delightful one just released in time for Christmas:
A Maritime Christmas: New Stories & Memories of the Season.

It's a fun collection of maritime-themed stories edited by well-known folklorist, Clary Croft, and published by the always fabulous regional book company: Nimbus.

I picked up this book for a family member (who shall remain nameless...shhhh, it's a secret) on the weekend and took it for a little test drive. My favourite story is the one by Chris Mills. In When Santa Came to Gannet Rock, Chris tells of the season he and a co-worker were stuck in a Bay of Fundy lighthouse. They use their radio to help steer Santa toward Gannet Rock while local children listened in. The kids get involved by calling in with messages of encouragement for Santa...too cute!

For other Fundy-themed book ideas, check the Books & Poetry tab.

A poem from Fables of Fundy

A friend of mine recently discovered this fine little book of poetry in the 'free' bin at a garage sale - imagine! It's entitled: Funny Fables of Fundy & Other Poems For Children, written and illustrated by Grace Helen Mowat, published in 1928. Ms Mowat appears to have been from the Fundy city, Saint John, New Brunswick. Here's a sample poem...from a kindred spirit!

The Bay of Fundy

I like the Bay of Fundy,
Where the tides creep up the strand,
With driftwood for the fire,
And rockweed for the land.
From Yarmouth to Chignecto, around and back again,
They reach the Quoddy Islands and wash the shores of Maine.

I like the Bay of Fundy,
Where sandstone Islands wait
The rosy kiss of sunset,
Beside the western gate.
And up the inland rivers, that seek the Fundy tides
A pleasant land of apple trees and happy homes abides.

I like the Bay of Fundy -
For when the tide is out,
So many wonders of the deep
Are scattered all about.
Oh, happy Bay of Fundy; for there for evermore
Children find their fairy lands beside its lovely shore!

Right whale article in National Geographic

The endangered North Atlantic Right whales that feed in the Bay of Fundy every summer and fall as part of their annual migration are of great interest not only to our visitors, whale researchers and conservationists but also to nature writers.

Over the past two years, staff at the New England Aquarium have spent a great deal of time with a writer & photographer who were dedicated to learning about the plight of Right whales. This research culminated in a Right whale feature in the October 2008 issue of National Geographic. It's a stunningly beautiful and compellingly written article that will teach many more people about these magnificent creatures and their struggle for survival. (Neanderthal Man is on the issue's cover if you look for it on a magazine stand!).

Bay of Fundy play reading in Texas

I've been blogging the Bay of Fundy for about a year & a half now and here's a random observation I'd like to share: of my U.S.A. readers, there are more from Texas than all but two other American states (only Maine & Massachusetts - our neighbouring states - rank higher). This causes me to ponder: are Texans somehow predisposed to be intrigued by the Bay of Fundy? Is the Bay of Fundy also studied in high school science texts there - the way it is in Europe & Russia? Maybe a whole bunch of former Bay of Fundy residents retired to Texas and are trying to keep in touch with the homeland?

Well here's a special announcement for my Texan friends in the blogosphere: I'm pleased to let you know about a Bay of Fundy presentation happening tomorrow night in your neighbourhood - well, if you live in Austin, that is. Playwright, Sherry Kramer, is presenting a reading of her newest work "The Bay of Fundy" at 7:30 pm at the James A. Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Avaya Auditorium, ACES building, 24th Street and Speedway. Admission is free.

New children's book about Fundy dinosaurs & fossils

Tomorrow will be a very exciting day for a new Bay of Fundy children's book writer. Paul Burns of Riverview, New Brunswick, is launching his book: Owen and the Dinosaurs, based on his son's love of dinosaurs. Over the years, Paul and his son made frequent trips over the border to Joggins and Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, to search for fossils on the beach and discover dinosaurs at the museums.

Most of the storyline of the book is based on real events (except for the part where Owen meets a talking dinosaur, Butch!). The book explores themes of friendship and loyalty for children aged 7 to 9. It's available at various Fundy gift shops as well as on line.

The Bay of Fundy Living Beach

Due to our persistently snowy weather, it's been a couple months since I visited one of my favourite Bay of Fundy beaches. When I arrived there today I discovered that a fine, sandy beach had replaced last summer's rocky beach!

I was reminded of a favourite book, The Living Beach. I devoured this book when in came out in '98 and haven't looked at beaches the same way since.

When I was a kid here on the Bay of Fundy I remember a sense of anticipation every spring: how would a certain beach look after the winter winds waned and ice cakes evaporated? Would it be a pebble or cobble beach this year? A shale beach? Sandy? Strewn with large boulders and thick layers of wrack? Would a sandbar have shifted or a mud flat been created?

After reading The Living Beach, I realized that beaches are living ecosystems; they shift and adapt constantly to various conditions; they are constantly influenced by wind, erosion, and, in Fundy's case, are significantly impacted by the daily ebb and flow of about 100 billion tonnes of water.

I'm more observant, respectful and accepting of Fundy's annual spring beachscapes now - these simple surprises are one of the secret joys of living here.

(The Living Beach, by Nova Scotian, Silver Donald Cameron is available in video or book format.)

Another Bay of Fundy book

Well, OK, this book, Ebb & Flow, isn't precisely about the Bay of Fundy but it is about tides and it's written by a Canadian: Tom Koppel! I'd heard about this book but had a bit of trouble tracking it down (turns out it was for sale on Chapters after all...I had searched the title incorrectly). Oops

I did track down Tom on the West Coast of Canada though. Here's part of Tom's note back to me:

Hi Terri, Thanks for getting in touch...There is really a lot in the book about the Fundy tides, shorelines, biology, history and science, as you will see when you get it. You probably do not know this, but after my wife and I visited Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to research the Fundy tides, I also wrote several travel feature articles about the Bay that appeared in 2006 in Australia's top daily paper, as well as the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, and in the Boston Herald.

Tom's book, Ebb & Flow: Tides and Life on Our Once and Future Planet, weaves together three grand narratives, exploring how tides impact coasts and marine life, how they have altered human history and development, and how science has striven to understand the surprisingly complex way in which tides actually work.

Check it out on Chapters.ca. Looks like I'm going to have a lot of reading to do over the holidays!

Bay of Fundy Xmas Book

I've previously profiled other Bay of Fundy publications on my blog already (see Fundy book tab on the sidebar) but I just came across a new one about the tides and how they work.... Beyond the Moon: A Conversational, Common Sense Guide to Understanding the Tides.

It retails for about $74, not sure why so expensive - it must be really good!

I hope to find out! I've put it on my Christmas list so when I get it, I'll read it and post a 'review' here on my blog. I have an ocean's depth of interest in learning more about the tides!

Take a look at this book on Chapters.ca.

New book about Grand Manan Island

Longtime blog readers will recall my previous posts about Bay of Fundy weirs, dulse, herring, salt and clams and will therefore not be surprised at my most recent book discovery: Rhythm of the Tides: The Fisheries of Grand Manan by Tim Peters. Tim's book is a striking visual journey through the cycle of fisheries on Grand Manan Island. Seventy-five color photographs illustrate the courage and determination of islanders pursuing their livelihood in the island's intertidal zones and in the surrounding waters of the lower Bay of Fundy.

The following review exerpt from The National Post says it perfectly: “The material is nothing new—we’ve all seen cute boats and lighthouses before—but through Peters’ lens, the clichés of east-coast Canada become strangely exotic and alluringly beautiful!” I've been pouring through my copy over and over again since I got it last week - it will easily become a favourite Fundy book!

Check out Tim's website or email him at books@timpeters.com

other awesome Fundy books

There are several other Bay of Fundy books that I'd recommend:

• Whales of Fundy - a pocket-sized guide to the whales who visit the Bay.
• Dykes & Aboiteaux - another tiny book that tells the story of the elaborate sluice innovation that allowed the Acadians to cultivate the vast Fundy Bay marshlands for over one hundred years.
• Tangled in the Bay - a children's book written by Fundy whale researcher, Deborah Tobin. The story of a right whale mother & daughter in the Bay of Fundy, who come to the Bay to feed in the rich waters and prepare for the winter.
• Dawning of the Dinosaurs - Important fossil finds have occurred in the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Fundy. The story of the rise and fall of the dinosaurs.

Got a favourite Fundy read? send me a note using the comment link below!

Favourite Bay of Fundy books

The annual Atlantic Canadian booklet arrived in the mail this weekend, reminding me that there are many excellent Bay of Fundy titles out there for consideration as Christmas gifts. I seem to have a habit of collecting Fundy books. One of my favourites...

Tidal Life: A Natural History of the Bay of Fundy
by Harry Thurston - I've read and re-read this book many times and give it to speakers at Fundy conferences or to new people who have moved to my Fundy community. Harry's writing is captivating and informative and the photos are stunning. Published by Nimbus in both hard & soft cover and available at independent book stores, assorted Fundy gift shops and Chapters/Amazon.

Bay of Fundy poetry

I'm sure that the Bay of Fundy is not the only dramatic seascape to inspire pen to paper! The first time I recall seeing the bay in poetry was Bliss Carmen's Low Tide on Grand Pre in high school English. Bliss Carmen, born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, was, at the time, Canada's best known poet.

Fundy poetry popped to mind recently when I met a come-from-away Parrsboro resident, Donna Sheehy, who just published a book of poetry called "Romancing on the Bay of Fundy: My Soul's Attraction".

Here is a sample of her Bay of Fundy poetry....


There is a rhythm in this place
with a gentle stillness and grace,
unlike anywhere I have been
it touches the soul from within.

The aroma of salt in the air
breezes whisper like a prayer,
alongside the pebbled beach
with blue skies endless reach.

The woodlands frame the coast
a wildlife haven for all to boast,
life is astir in this bountiful place
unharmed by society’s embrace.

Stand silent, face toward the sea
close your eyes and you’ll agree,
the rhythm of this beautiful Bay
will hypnotically lure you away.

"The Rhythm on the Bay"
by Donna Sheehy
Copyright © 2006 All Rights Reserved.