May 22 (day 19) to May 23 (day 20): Bar Harbor to New Brunswick, Canada; 4000 miles and 4 times zones away from home!

The view from our front window

One of the most enjoyable experiences along our route and traveling in general is the unplanned and unexpected.  Since Nova Scotia was one of our main goals we were happily main-lining along the Trans-Canada Highway when I spotted a New Brunswick information center and pulled in for a break.  Our friends in Bar Harbor had mentioned a small village called Hopewell Cape where the Bay of Fundy tidal influence was very noticeable and the folks at the information center confirmed that.  We made a trip recalculation and found a nice campground there with a killer view through our windshield across a pond to the tidal flats and beyond across the Bay of Fundy.  

11am, low tide

4:30pm, approaching high tide, our heads would be under water!

Hopewell Cape was not disappointing offering a Saturday breakfast at the local town museum/social center/Saturday market and then a short drive to Hopewell Rocks to see interesting geologic formations that are accessible by walking across the sea floor at low tide and completely inundated at high tide.  The staff there was very friendly and Megan offered great suggestions including a video clip of her, her supervisor and another staff member standing on the sea floor when the tide rolled in. You just gotta take a look at the YouTube link here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbU0c9798sY)  .  

noon, high and dry

We then headed over to Alma to see Fundy National Park and the town harbor with large fishing boats lying on the sea floor next to the slips waiting for the tide to return and float them again.  The all-time record tidal change stands at 46 feet (world’s highest tide), but today only 38 feet – yeah only, when the average global tidal change is 3 feet.  Off to Nova Scotia tomorrow and perhaps bye bye WiFi for awhile.

3 hours later