Fun little tide video

One thing I absolutely love about the invention of YouTube is how 'real' people can capture a local scene and share it with the world. I recently came across this video of the Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, tidal harbour. If you've caught the new tourism TV ads that I'm in, you may recognize this as the location where those ads were filmed.

Good news for Cape Enrage lighthouse

I've got a bit of a nostalgic and architectural interest in visiting lighthouses anywhere I travel but, being the Bay of Fundy gal, I am also very fond of our many lighthouses. 

We've got some interesting models of lighthouse use/reuse going on here in our Bay, such as the cafe, trails and lightkeeper's guest house at Cape d'Or in Nova Scotia and the tea room, gift shop, rappelling & sea kayaking at Cape Enrage in New Brunswick. 

I was pleased today to hear that plans are in place to develop a long-term business plan for Cape Enrage that would see visitation increase so that it becomes an even more popular Bay of Fundy travel destination. Read more...

Successful winter for Right whales

Researchers report a successful winter for our North Atlantic Right whales that winter south of Bay of Fundy off the coasts of N.Carolina and Virginia. There were 39 new calves birthed this winter and, best news of all there were NO ship-whale collisions reported. Read more in the Daytona Beach news

Looking forward to seeing these whales back in our bay soon!

Springtime seal visits

In Canada we hear lots about the seal populations off the coast of our neighbouring east coast province of Newfoundland but there are actually many seals to be found in the Bay of Fundy. Grey seals (pictured here) and Harbour seals live here all year long and, at this time of year, the Bay is home to Harp seals and occasionally Hooded seals when they drop by to have their pups.

Of these four seals, only the number of harbour seals is declining; the other three are on a bold increase - to the point that they are in danger of threatening populations of other fish. There are an estimated 300,000 grey seals in the region, 5 to 6 million harp seals and about 500,000 hooded seals.

Contrary to their cute puppy-dog faces, seals are actually quite agressive - they are OK to view basking along Fundy shoals but only from a distance!

(see last year's post showing the repatriation of a Grey seal that had 'walked' 10 km in shore)

Fundy Trail expansion announced

Great news on the Bay of Fundy outdoor adventure front this week: an additional $10 million was announced yesterday to further extend one of the Bay of Fundy's best coastal trails, the Fundy Trail Parkway in New Brunswick. The park currently consists of 14 km of hiking/cycling trails that run parallel to a low-speed coastal roadway. This funding announcement will enable an additional 5 more kilometres to be built; getting it that much closer to joining up with Fundy National Park (then 19 km away).

The Fundy Trail Parkway has opened up a truly breathtaking section of the Bay of Fundy's dramatic tidal coastline, providing views that rival the Cabot Trail and the Icefield Parkway between Jasper and Banff. The new section will be dotted with scenic lookouts and beach access points to provide a more interactive and accessible visitor experience. Check out Fundy Trail's website for more info.

Summer camp: Fundy style!

Like most parents, I've sent my kids off to variously-themed summer camps over the years. Recently, I discovered the perfect summer camp for nature types, ages 10 to 17: The Whale Camp on Bay of Fundy's Grand Manan Island! The camps are 1 to 3 weeks long and run all summer. Activities include sailing on a 50-foot Schooner, research and exploration of whales and their habitat, plus the usual outdoor activities of hiking, sea kayaking and bonfires.

The camps also appear to be offered for adult groups upon request. Cool! Check out these photos from previous camps!

Images from the real Isle Haute

Of all the 450+ posts I've made on this blog, one of the most popular with my readers was the post I made last fall about Isle Haute (a small isolated island in the upper part of the Bay of Fundy where the bay splits into Chignecto and Minas Basins). It seemed I wasn't the only person with a 'crush' on this mysterious island that floats out there so visible but not so accessible from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia shores of the Bay of Fundy.

Imagine my delight today when I came across Brian Grant-Paul's Explore Nova Scotia website with it's exquisite insights and images about many corners of our Bay, including Isle Haute. Check out Brian's photos (use with permission) of the island's vertical basalt cliffs and its low-tide-only sandbar, plus more pics on his blog.

Now,more than ever, actively looking for someone with a boat to take me out there this summer!

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')

Making Maple Taffy

It won't be long now 'til 'Sugar Season' is over (usually mid- to late-April) but you'll be relieved to know that maple syrup can still be found year round in grocery stores and farm markets throughout the region.

There are a few maple treats, however, that are only available during maple season ...introducing my favourite: maple taffy. The 'recipe' for maple taffy is:

• boil maple syrup to a higher temperature than required for syrup (238 degrees F)
• pour it off onto a prepared bed of fresh snow (crushed ice will do in a pinch!)
  
• twirl a small wooden stick (popsicle stick works well) around a section of taffy. Several people can surround the snow and do this at once!!
• eat!
  

The snow cools the hot syrup quickly results in a clear, sticky mapley toffee, or, as maple families such as ours call it: taffy. Warning: it's a tooth filling-removing kinda activity....

No Limits to educational adventure in Bay of Fundy

Most people have heard of Elderhostel educational adventures (we've hosted many in Bay of Fundy) but now a local university has developed its own successful Fundy-themed programs for the 50+.

The University of New Brunswick's launched NO LIMITS New Brunswick Travel Adventures to great response in 2008. Both programs, Bay of Fundy themed, will be re-offered in 2009:

1. Spirit of the Island takes place on Grand Manan Island and concentrates on marine life, especially the endangered North Atlantic right whale; bird watching (Grand Manan is a bird watchers paradise with hundreds of species); and the unique geological formations and breathtaking views that are found across the island. 2009 adventure dates: Sept. 8 - 12.

2. Bounty of the Bay participants explore Fundy's beaches, tidal zones, waters, marine life and environment accompanied by educators from the Huntsman Marine Science Centre (HMSC). Adventurers comb the beaches with a guide and examine their finds under lab microscopes, learn about sea birds and the process of bird band and experience the bay in the HMSC's research boat, and get up close and personal with whales on a whale and wildlife cruise. (pictured here). This tour runs Oct 5-9, 2009.

And, to make things even better, all three adventures include four nights at comfortable, historic accommodations and meals using fresh, local ingredients. For the over 50 only....heck, I'm starting to think it won't be so bad turning 50 in a couple years!

More info? visit the NO LIMITS website.

Visual art meets Bay of Fundy tides

It recently came to my attention that the famous UK visual artist Andy Goldsworthy visited Bay of Fundy and created some outdoor art here which he featured in his award-winning documentary video: Rivers & Tides. Andy is a brilliant sculptor, photographer and environmentalist, living in Scotland, who produces site-specific sculpture and land art in natural and urban settings. His art involves the use of natural and found objects; for Bay of Fundy this meant driftwood and the incoming tide.

I witness many beautiful sights year round, day and night in our bay but this Bay of Fundy portion of Rivers & Tides (filmed in just down the shore from where I live) absolutely took my breath away.



Review of the whole videos: "The theatrical phenomenon RIVERS AND TIDES depicts the magical relationship between art and nature. Gorgeously shot and masterfully edited."

Must have full DVD from Amazon!

Lobster...as common as bologna? yikes!

To a large extent, in our part of the country, we're somewhat buffered from world events but now that the global recession is in full swing, we're also feeling the effects of it. Take lobster, for example. Lobster (a mainstay of Bay of Fundy fisheries and a key factor in rural economic survival) has long been considered a luxury food item.

Recently, one of my aunts reminded me that in the 1950s kids who took lobster sandwiches to school were considered not rich enough to afford a 'better meat'. Well, with the current rock-bottom lobster prices, I'm wondering if it's about to switch statuses with bologna. Check out this article ~ yikes!

Introducing the historic Imperial Theatre

While I never doubt the interest of my readers in topics tide-related, it's true that the architecture and art sections of my blog also get plenty of interest. A place, after all, is not only about the landscape and seascape but also about its people, their lives and interests. No where is this reflected more than through the delightful combination of architecture and art in our heritage theatres.

I've previous posted about Ship's Company Theatre on the Kipawo ferry in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, and now I'd like to introduce you to the enchanting Imperial Theatre in Saint John, New Brunswick. The Imperial (still in full operation today) was built in 1913 and billed as the 'finest theatre in Eastern Canada'. In the early days it hosted such entertainment headliners as Harry Houdini and John Philip Sousa. Now the Imperial is likely the busiest playhouse in our region with a year-round roster of performances of all types. Well worth checking out when you visit the Bay of Fundy!

Ode to Captain Molly

The Bay of Fundy lost a seafaring pioneer recently: Captain Molly Kool, passed away at age 93. I didn't know Molly personally but, as a youth, I remember being captivated by her story in a book of famous Canadian women. You see, at age 23 - 70 years ago!! - Molly became the first registered female sea captain in North America.

Molly grew up in the Bay of Fundy village of Alma, New Brunswick, where she learned a love of the sea and sailing from her father, a Dutch ship captain. At 23, she made history by earning the title of captain, after the Canadian Shipping Act was rewritten to say "he/she" instead of just "he".

Captain Molly certainly blazed a trail in a career then dominated by men. I'm not sure how many women have since chosen the life of sea captain but she certainly made a Fundy-women-can-do-anything impression on one young Bay of Fundy girl: me.

Her ashes will be scattered on our Bay...

New Right whale video - winter mating & feeding

The Bay of Fundy is probably best known worldwide for having the highest tides on the planet but one of our other claims to fame is as impressive: our Bay is part of the critically important habitat region for the endangered North Atlantic Right whale. There are only about 350 of these whales left on the planet. A USA Today documentary video released this week shows Right whales thriving, mating and feeding in the winter months; suggesting that the population may finally be stabilizing.

Scallop boats await the tides

Another soothing winter sight in Bay of Fundy:

Hi Terri, Trust you are having a good winter! Here's a photo of scallop boats awaiting high tide so they can dock at Alma wharf (New Brunswick). The ice cakes come and go with the rise and fall of our giant Bay of Fundy tides, posing a danger in the navigation routes of the vessels. The low western sun is highlighting the cliffs on the opposite Nova Scotia shore. ~ Donna

And even better: this is Donna's everyday view from her inn: Falcon Ridge Inn, Alma, New Brunswick. Her guests must be very happy to wake up to this view any time of the year!

Ice causeway?

Some winters I wonder if our Bay of Fundy ice cakes are dense enough to create a floating causeway. There's a story told that there was once a man who hopped across the Minas Basin from Parrsboro to Blomidon on the ice cakes to visit his lady love. On a day like today, when I took this photo, I can actually believe this may have been possible!

Which Fundy fish are eco-safe?

There's a nifty 'seafood selector' on the USA's Environmental Defense Fund's website where you can check to see how your favourite seafood stacks up when it comes to sustainable fishing and pesticide residue. Since eco-everything is all the rage now, I was kind of curious to know how our fish fare in the three levels of ratings: eco-best, eco-OK and eco-worst.

Looks like most of our Bay of Fundy seafood rates well but it appears we'd best caution ourselves about eating smoked salmon every day...em, not that I'm tempted to do that anyway...

Eco-Best Fundy fish (safe for environment)
Arctic-char (farmed)
Atlantic mackeral
Mussels
Albacore tuna
Scallops
Bass
Halibut

Eco-OK Fundy fish (OK for environment - enjoy occasionally)
Wild clams
Cod
Sole
Haddock
Hake
Lobster
Wild oysters
Sea scallops
Sea bass

Eco-Worst (eat infrequently)
Flounder
Halibut
Farmed salmon

Did I miss any of our regular Bay of Fundy seafood catches? if so, please feel free to let me know through the comments!

Fun Fundy job: Seagull watcher

Well this job might just beat becoming a Bay of Fundy tidal bore rafting guide, alpaca breeder, or stag party planner: it's seagull researcher!

A chap from the Université de Montréal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine just conducted an extensive research study on Bay of Fundy seagulls. He compared the activity of gulls that were sleeping relative to the alertness of their neighbours.

Apparently, gulls sleep with one eye open and constantly scan the group and this study suggests that the theory of a collective group awareness can be applied across the animal kingdom. Although humans don't worry about predators, we do pay attention to the behaviour of our peers. For example, we assess the value of others based on their social or physical interactions - we are looking at an individual's strengths. The animals who pay attention are the ones who gain. Who knew?

Winter kayaking off Cape Chignecto

Probably even the most outdoorsy types here in Fundy aren't too inclined to pop their kayaks in the water in mid-February to go for a little paddle but not so for the folks who operate Nova Shores Kayaking Adventures in Advocate Harbour, Nova Scotia. It seems that Werner can't wait 'til spring get back on the waters along the dramatic shores of Cape Chignecto Provincial Park. He was paddling yesterday and captured these rarely seen photos of the park's frozen winterscape.

Werner said that a vast expanse of cliff was covered in frozen waterfalls - hard to capture on film but this pics are stunning! To help you get the idea, I typed in the vertical heights of the frozen waterfalls in metres & feet.

Surfers surf tidal bore in Wales

Did you know that the Bay of Fundy isn't the only place in the world have tidal bores? A tidal bore is the phenomenon caused when the outgoing flow of a river meets the incoming tide and causes the river to 'flow backwards'. The bore measurement is customarily the height of the waves caused when this happens.

We've got some very nice 10-15 foot bores here as 'part' of living with the world's highest tides but there are many other worldwide locations that are proud of their bores: the Severn Estuary in Wales being one of them.

I've not been there (yet) but I'm quite intrigued by the Severn's tidal bore. Ours comes in 2x every 24 hrs, every day, year round but the Severn's, apparently, comes in in a small way year round but is truly visible only about 25 days/year during the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes (that's Feb-March-April, and Aug, Sept, Oct).

The time is NOW, if you happen to find yourself in Wales and want to trying surfing or kayaking it like the folks in this picture! Check out The Severn Bore's website.

A jumble of ice cakes

Now that we've had a few really cold weeks of winter, the ice cake situation at the beach has improved greatly. Our Bay of Fundy tides bring in ice cakes, when the tide turns to go out, they often drop down at the tide line on the beach.

After several weeks this creates a jumble of ice cakes all along the beach - makes for fun exploring if you've got good tread on your boots. My dog, Belle, also likes to chew on them. The ice pebbles we spotted on a different Fundy beach last year are a bit easier to swallow but still, I doubt there is any harm in her taking a nibble of the big cakes!!

In-Flight Safety records CD on Fundy coast

Despite the reference to 'flight' in this post's title, neither is this post about birds...it's actually about the band, In-Flight Safety. They just released their new CD We Are An Empire, My Dear, at an event in Halifax. What's interesting is that the CD was produced while the band was holed up in a historic Bay of Fundy schoolhouse last winter.

Not the first time Fundy has inspired the muses (see the Art section of this blog), but the first time I recall an award-winning pop rock band recording here! This is my photo of the beach just down the road from where they were staying. Certainly a great location that seemed to do the trick - it sounds like an awesome album, check out In-Flight Safety's new album on their website.

Bay of Fundy launches daily updates with Twitter!

Attention birders: don't get too excited! despite my best intentions to learn more about Bay of Fundy bird watching, this is probably not the kind of bird watching you were hoping for....

I've been using the cheerily-named social networking application Twitter personally for awhile now to stay in touch with family and friends near and far but it just finally donned on me last week that Twitter has another brilliant use: as a daily microblogging site for news, special events, insider tips, etc. about the Bay of Fundy.

It's similar, in some ways, to this blogger blog, but there is one fundamental difference: Twitter is designed to enable daily, continuous conversation in communities. In our case, I see it as an intriguing way to connect our virtual Bay of Fundy community, which consists of people who are considering visiting the bay (prospective travelers) and folks who live on the bay (us locals). Blog posts on Twitter (known as "tweets") are made several times a day and are in short, single-sentence-plus-web-link format.

If you are as skeptical as I was about people posting "what I am doing" several times a day, stay with me on this...I think seekers of Bay of Fundy travel information may very well be quite interested in finding out what's up in our bay at any given moment.

Check Bay of Fundy out on Twitter using the new link on the sidebar or by clicking here.

2nd Bay of Fundy live camera

It appears that there is also a live Earthcam in St Andrews, New Brunswick. This one has programming code that enables me to embed it. In anticipation of more outdoor cameras to come, I've created a new blog category for them. Fun!

Finally... a Bay of Fundy webcam!

I've always thought that the Bay of Fundy is the perfect place to set up live webcams but, except for such cameras on our highways (so you can check out the winter weather conditions), I'm not aware of any other webcams set up anywhere near the tides until now:

The Fundy Restaurant on the waterfront of the village of Digby, Nova Scotia, has just set one up. Thanks to Dean for sharing this link to his new webcam!

I once heard a rumor that there was a live outdoor camera at the Reversing Falls Funeral Home (which, as you may expect by the name, overlooks Reversing Falls in Saint John, New Brunswick) but I've never been able to find out if this is true....er, short of phoning them which is a bit awkward....Anyone know?

Out with the old, in with the new...lobster traps

For all that we locals joke about tourists' fascination with lobster traps (many have been purchased dockside and taken home to landlocked provinces and states to become coffee tables), I am kinda into them.

For example, I once made a flower box out of one (my petunias never looked better!) and I have spent a goodly amount of time photographing them - but the 'old' style wooden ones with the curved tops only - I'm a purist.

This is the first photo of the new metal mesh traps that has ever revealed itself to me. It was taken at my local wharf just after lobster season last month. Mmmmnh, not so painful....

Let us consider the jellyfish

I'm not much of a swimmer so I've never quite taken a fancy to scuba diving but I've always been fascinated by 'life below the surface', especially here in Bay of Fundy. Perhaps that explains why I love walking on the ocean floor at low tide, but, alas, that's cheating because there are many creatures - like the jellyfish - that are truly at their best while floating, not while flumped on the beach at low tide.

There is an awesome floor-to-ceiling blacklit jellyfish tank at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta that absolutely took my breath away this week. My photo here certainly does not do it justice. Seeing these jellyfish made me recall the first time I'd seen Scott Leslie's undersea photos of the Bay of Fundy: they took my breath away. I've never looked at Fundy's surface without a memory flash of what's below.

Take a look elsewhere on my blog or on Scott's website for more of these haunting images.

Snooping around Georgia for whales

I'm on holiday this week in the state of Georgia, USA. The North Atlantic Right whales that summer in the Bay of Fundy spend their winters here too. In fact, the only known calving grounds for Right whales is about 15 miles (24 km) off the coasts of Georgia and Florida. Later, in early Spring, they'll head up to the coast of Maine, then on to the Bay of Fundy for summer and fall feeding before coming back to Georgia.

In the United States several laws have been passed and regulations adopted to reduce threats to Right whales. Measures in effect for Georgia include designation of the coastal waters south of the Altamaha River and out to fifteen miles as a "critical habitat" for the species, ship reporting requirements, restrictions on the use of gill nets, and prohibitions on recreational right-whale watching.

The Georgians appear to appreciate our shared Right whales, having declared them as their official 'state mammal'....I'm not sure why we haven't done the same in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia....good idea!

Fundy's freezing fog

Living on the coast the way we do - especially with the influence of winds and tides - you won't be surprised to learn that we experience a variety of interesting weather phenomena. Winter weather highlights include: ice-glazed mud, cascading fog, ice pebbles and ice cakes.

My friend, Ryan, from Annapolis just sent me a photo of the Annapolis lighthouse surrounded by something we call "freezing fog or freezing mist". Crystals of frost formulate in what appears to be foggy air but then cling to everything they touch. It's probably the same concept as hoar frost but it kind of floats through the air. Anyway, I love the stuff - we don't see it that often but when we do it's fresh and magical.

P.S. Check out Ryan's Annapolis Royal Heritage blog!

"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!

Right whale takes big trip to the Azores

The endangered North Atlantic Right whale, which lives in Fundy for several months thru summer and fall, goes south for its winter feeding grounds. Generally, these whales are spotted feeding in the warmer coastal waters off Georgia and North Carolina during our winter months. This week, however, for the first time since 1888, a Right whale has been spotted as far south as Faial Island in the Azores.

Using the Right whale's callosites (hard patches of skin, light in colour, usually on face - see photo) and distinctive fluke (tail) markings, whale researchers were able to identify this whale as one last spotted here in the Bay of Fundy a few months ago - on September 24, 2008.

The North Atlantic Right whale is one of the world's most endangered whales, with only about 300 remaining in the Atlantic. One thing that's quite neat about whale watching here in Fundy is that all of our whale operators voluntarily adhere to a strict whale watching code of ethics which enables them to allow visitors to view our 12 species of whales but also encourages them to participate in whale research and cataloguing. Hence, a contribution to the wealth of accurate and detailed information known about our whales in their summer and winter habitats, and in between.

Photo borrowed from Whale Watch Azores, in case you happen to be in the Azores this week and want to go whale watching!

Fundy ice & snow = great photo ops

Although we tend to grumble a bit about the onset of winter here in this part of Canada, I actually have a suspicion that many of us welcome winter for its complete change of pace from the rest of the year.

Personally, I look forward to the way snow & ice transform the land and seascapes. If you are inclined toward photography then the Bay of Fundy is just as enticing to your camera now as it is in summer.

We had a relatively mild December so ice only started to form at the edge of the tide and in our rivers and streams within the past few weeks. I snapped this photo down at the inner harbour just a few hundred feet from my all time favourite winter photo of Fundy ice cakes. The camera, by the way, was set on full colour, not black & white - cool, huh?

Speaking of second...the 7Wonders results

The Bay of Fundy has been participating in a contest to declare the New7Wonders of Nature since June of 2008. The top Canadian site was announced this morning and it was Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta.
http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/nominees/northamerica/

Big thanks to EVERYONE who rallied so enthusiastically to support Fundy in this initiative!!

Bay of Fundy benefited greatly from participation in this contest:

- we were accepted as one of only 5 Canadian sites into this prestigious contest. In order to even be considered, we had to make a case for why Fundy qualified to compete internationally and this was easily made.

- our region got international exposure on the New7Wonders website for 8 months while we participated

- when the votes closed last week we were sitting in the top 1/4 of all international nature tourism sites

- we raised awareness of the significance of the Bay of Fundy as one of Canada's top nature tourism destinations

- we've calculated about $300,000 in free media coverage of Fundy

- we've witnessed a 400% increase in visitation to our website

- we had a good time doing it !!

HUGE thanks to everyone who supported Fundy in this bid. Easy to see why the folks in our region have a reputation for being friendly, determined, clever and enthusiastic!!

Bay of Fundy & the leap second connection

Many of us were perhaps too busy celebrating on New Year's Eve to notice the countdown lasting one full second longer than normal. In addition to our calendar picking up the odd spare day in a leap year, it seems that every couple of years we need to pick up a leap second and this is the year!

The thing is: it's all Bay of Fundy's fault. The current time interval that we call a second was developed about a hundred years ago but since then the earth's rotation has slowed ever so slightly. This slow down is due to the moon's effects on the earth's tides; most specifically the 'friction' caused by the Bay of Fundy's tides.

Check out this interesting article, in which a professor at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics explains Fundy's culpability in this phenomenon.

Polar dip Fundy-style

Bay of Fundy folk are a pretty hardy bunch so the idea of taking a frigid dip in icy waters, known as 'polar dipping' doesn't intimidate us one bit! There are assorted polars dips in lakes around the region but I say 'go for the big freeze in the Bay of Fundy itself' like those who take the plunge every New Year's day at Mispec Beach.

If you are near Mispec Beach this morning (east of Saint John, New Brunswick) this morning, why not pop on by to cheer on the 200 polar dippers expected to take the plunge! I found this video of last year's Mispec dip on YouTube...today's will be a bit more exciting: there is a blizzard blowing.

And me? well, I'll be enjoying the health benefits from the sidelines down at our harbour...crazeee people!

Chocolate biscotti

Seems I hadn't posted this chocolate biscotti recipe afterall when I posted the cranberry-almond and gingerbread biscotti recipes a few Christmases ago. They make a nice 'set' and, at this time of year, I make mini-versions for the Christmas tea circuit.

Chocolate Chunk Biscotti
1 1/2 c white flour
1/2 c cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chunks
2 eggs
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c melted butter
2 tsp vanilla (plus optional: dissolve 1 Tbsp instant coffee granules in vanilla)

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix wet in another with whisk. Add liquid to dry. Mix until soft dough forms. Transfer to lightly floured surface. Form into a smooth, non-sticky ball. Divide dough in half; roll each into foot-long log. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool on pan for 30 minutes. Transfer each log to cutting board; cut diagonally 3/4 inch thick. Stand cookies upright with space between them on cookie tray. Bake again for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on rack.

Cranberry-pecan loaf

Just like most families, we've got some traditional recipes that we haul out for the holidays. I've previous posted my chocolate, cranberry-orange and gingerbread Christmas biscotti recipes, but just realized I hadn't yet posted this one.

Nothing particularly Bay of Fundy-ish about this loaf (though we do have wild and cultivated cranberries growing around the bay) - it's just a nice, festive loaf to give as a Christmas party hostess gift.

Cranberry Pecan Loaf
3 c white flour
1 1/2 c sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/8 c shortening
2 tsp grated orange peel
1/2 c orange juice (or, if using dried cranberries add an extra 1/4 c orange juice)
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 c coarsely chopped cranberries (fresh or frozen) or dried cranberries
1 1/2 c chopped pecans (or mixed nuts)

Sift dry ingredients. Cut in shortening until well blended. Mix peel with juice and egg. Add liquids to dry, mix to just moisten. Fold in berries and nuts. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 - 45 mins for fresh or frozen cranberries, 10 minutes more with dried cranberries. Let cool overnight for easy slicing. Makes one large loaf or two small (such as with my twin toblerone-shaped pans, pictured above).

Big moon & crazy winds = wild tides!

It's been a crazy couple of days of 'natural effects' here in the Bay of Fundy. The moon this weekend was in much greater proximity to earth than it normally is. Usually it's orbiting at an average distance of 384,400 kilometres (238,855 miles) around the earth but on Friday it was 17,000 km (10,560 miles) closer to earth than usual.

Not only is that enough to make the moon look bigger and brighter, but it also strengthens the moon's gravitational pull - causing even higher tides in our already high-tide bay. Also it's been wildly windy for the past couple of days.

Sadly for me, I was traveling away from the Bay during this convergence of natural factors (just the kind of weather I enjoy!!) but my friend Trish from Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, was wandering about with her trusty camera. Here's one of her images of the town's waterfront area during the height of the tide. Not to fear, that church is actually quite far from the water's edge, it's just Trish's zoom lens collapsing perspective and making the church look like it might just float away on the tide!!

We like our trees BIG here in Fundy

Most rural Bay of Fundy residents make an annual trek to the woods each December to chop a fresh tree for the holidays. Allergy issues aside, it's always great to see a 'real' tree...reminds me of the debate between our region's real maple syrup and fake 'table syrup'.

Great to see 'real' win over 'plastic' in the Fundy city of Saint John, New Brunswick as well. Check out this massive (3-storey high) fir tree outside the entrance to the New Brunswick Museum in courtyard of Market Square (Uptown Saint John) ~ now that's what I call one purdy Christmas tree!

Funny Fundy face

My niece and I were recently out exploring a Bay of Fundy basalt beachscape when we came upon these two holes 'drilled' in the rock. Couldn't resist the temptation to create a happy face with the materials we had at hand - shells and seaweed. Simple fun at the seashore! Should amuse the next passersby...er, assuming the tide doesn't wash it away in the meantime.

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.

Garden of Lights & Festival of Trees

As winter approaches here around the Bay of Fundy, there are many community celebrations. Here's an enchanting one in St Andrews: the annual Season of Light & Wonder.

St Andrew's fabulous garden, Kingsbrae Garden, is an enthusiastic participant with its Garden of Lights & Festival of Trees. It's a great chance to explore the sparkling evening gardens as they nestle in for winter. Garden visitors can also bid on their favorite decorated Christmas trees, with all donations going to the county food bank. The Garden's lovely cafe is open throughout the festival with its regular weekly chef's specials as well as a festive menu of seasonal treats (love the mulled cider and gingerbread men!). Enjoy the season!

Photo credit: Stephen MacGillivray, courtesy of Kingsbrae Garden.
If you know of a Fundy community winter event - preferably one that lasts more than a day, that would interest our blog readers, please email me with a photo & description - bayoffundy@gmail.com

Sri Lankans learn about Fundy

As a keen Bay of Fundy groupie myself, I often come across Fundy-themed articles and blog references especially by travelers.

It's always great to see visitors' perspectives of our bay. Take, for example, this article that appeared in the Sunday Times in Sri Lanka this week. It's a nicely researched article (whose writer actually visited Fundy). I was amused, though, that our friend from Sri Lanka noted the importance of wearing a coat to the beach - seems she found it a bit cold here (perhaps compared to Sri Lanka) even in summer!

Bring out the Stanfields

Since we're on the topic of historic Bay of Fundy companies and also winter approaching, I'd be remiss in not mentioning Stanfield's: the Underwear Company. Based in Truro, Nova Scotia, Stanfield's has been making apparel for Canadians since 1856!!

Known originally for their fabulous longjohns (see photo), the company now makes a full array of layers for durability & performance year round. These days, with so many people dressing poorly for winter then complaining about being cold, I'm all for bringing back longjohns...think of them as 'country goes city chique'!

And here's a little known fact: Stanfield's has a really great factory outlet on Logan Street in Truro - open daily, Tues-Sat, year round.

Have you hugged a lobster lately?

Lobster season is underway again in the Bay of Fundy and neighboring regions. In tough economic times, not only does the price of gasoline lowers due to lack of demand...the price of lobster also takes a kicking. Lobster, it seems, is perceived as a luxury food.

The tricky bit is when prices get so low that it costs more to catch lobsters than they sell for retail. Wholesale lobster prices are sitting at about half of what they were last year - this is a serious concern for our region. In a effort to support our rurally-based lobster fishery, I'm doing my personal best to increase demand by buying lobster every week. So hug a lobster, or, if you don't care for lobster, hug a lobster fisherman - he (or she) can probably use the encouragement!!

The start of our storybook winter?

One of the things I really like about living here is our four 'story book' seasons: spring's buds & blooms, summer's warmth and verdant greens, fall's flash of leaf colours, and winter's white.

It's actually quite early to have snow here on the Bay of Fundy (most of the time we just squeek in our first snowfall a couple days before Christmas) but we had a freak snow storm yesterday!

It was the big fluffy snow - my favourite! that burdens trees and neutralizes the forest into a black & white. Here's photo taken from my car window. Sadly, this morning it all seems to be melting away....well, nice while it lasted!

Bay of Fundy car ad?

With so many attractive and accessible beachscapes around the Bay of Fundy, I've often wondered why our region doesn't get selected more often as car ad shooting location...I mean really, there are only so many ways they can keep showing the desert...

As far as I know, Bay of Fundy has only been used once officially for car promo: GM truck road tests at Cape d'Or Lighthouse in Advocate Harbour back in Nov. 2006 (only a couple months after I started this blog).

So, to show the potential of this, I took it upon myself to create this sample Volkwwagon promo photo of me and my beetle. With a bit of practice, I even mastered the frozen Barbie smile - well, the cool November weather helped!

One BIG Bay of Fundy fishie!

It's not uncommon during lobster fishing season that traps or lines sometime attract other little sea creatures. However, a couple Bay of Fundy fishermen in Alma, New Brunswick, encountered a first last week: the discovery of a 28 foot long, 4000 lb. basking shark mixed up in their lines.

Basking sharks are the world's 2nd largest fish and are found in all the world's temperate oceans. You needn't worry about encountering one and the beach though...they are slow moving and harmless (doesn't have teeth like its cousin, the Great White). It's called a basking shark because it's most often observed when feeding at the surface where it appears to be leisurely basking.

Unfortunately, the guys weren't able to free this one before it died of a struggle. Gear entanglements are not this shark's biggest threat though... elsewhere in the world it is overfished for its valuable fins, flesh & organs. Thanks to Doug Watson for this photo!

Where's the big wall of water?

There's no doubt that the top question visitors ask when visiting the Bay of Fundy is: Where do I go to 'see' the tides?

The answer to this question may not be what you think. Before visiting Fundy, most people know two things:
1. that we have the highest tides in the world (with a vertical height of 50 ft/16 metres)
2. that we have tidal bores or rapids of some sort

Unfortunately, tourists often put these two facts together as one thought and then expect to see a 50 ft 'wall of water' or tidal wave gushing into our bay 2x day.

Fundy residents know that there's no tsunami-style wall of water here. In fact, the places where you can see the rapids & bores (like Reversing Falls in Saint John, New Brunswick and Shubenacadie River in Nova Scotia) are not always the best places to see the full vertical effect of the tides (the many Fundy wharves where boats sit on the ground at low tide).

And, at the risk of confusing our poor visitors, there is a third tidal effect (somewhat unsung) which is every bit as impressive:
3. the horizontal effect - places where low tides exposes miles and miles of dry ocean floor.

In truth, when the tide comes in it often laps gently on windless days or is a bit more turbulent on windy days (and during hurricanes). Here's a photo I took a few days ago in the fog just as the tide turned at low tide and started to come back in. Not the wall of water but no less beautiful and amazing a phenomenon that can take your breath away...