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Published: October 7th 2008
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Flowerpot Rocks at High Tide
This was taken from top of the 4 story stairway Low tide was at 11:00 a.m. this morning which gave us a 5 hour window of opportunity to walk on the ocean floor. We were going to Hopewell Cape, home of the Flowerpot Rocks. The tides in Canada's Bay of Fundy are the most extreme in the world. Because of the unique shape of the bay, the difference in water level between high tide and low tide can be as much as 48 feet. The Flowerpot Rocks are formed of sandstone and a conglomerate of sand and small rocks. If you look up close it looks like you could take these formations apart because of what appears to be loose construction but they are cemented together and no amount of digging can dislodge even the tiniest stone. I know, I tried.
During high tide a lot of the rocks are not accessible. The beach is accessed by a 4 story stairway and is about a half mile walk back to the visitors center and parking lot. This was a time during the moon phase when the pull on the tides is not so extreme so the rock formations were in the water but not 40' of water. During the highest
tides the only thing visible is the very tip of the rock formations. They look like little islands with grass and trees on them. I was told that there was sea kayaking but we got there too late in the year to do that.
Back at our car we headed off for Cape Enrage. I just love the name of that place, it is so descriptive and I can imagine lives up to its name when the storms blow in.
There was a really nicely preserved lighthouse that still works, on the cape and also a keepers house that was still in good condition although everything is automated now and that includes a rather large foghorn. There is a sign mounted on it that warns of "severe hearing loss" if you're walking around up there in the fog and that thing goes off. The views from the cliffs were spectacular, but then a bad view would be worth noting since everything is so beautiful. We were able to look across Fundy Bay and see Nova Scotia. The red cliffs are probably a place called Joggins where they've found tons of fossils. I'm hoping we'll be able to go
there but it is off the beaten path and if time is a factor we probably won't.
We were supposed to be back to see low tide at about 2:00 so we headed back to the visitors center and had lunch...me Seafood Chowder.
After wandering around for a while we headed back to Hopewell Cape. It was time for lunch and we decided to eat at the visitors center and then it would be about time for low tide. After eating we were told of another stairway about a mile from the one we went up and down this morning. It was not used much anymore and we decided to take that one. It enabled us to access more of the beach so we were able to see more of the formations. I expected to see tidal pools but the guide said that the water is so churned up because of the tides that there is a lot of silt in the water and that does not encourage life...hence no porpoise, whales or other sea life this far into the bay.
It was time to head for PEI. I had originally decided that we might bypass PEI
because I'd heard some negative things about it, but I talked to one of the men that was a guest at Peacock house and he said we should go because it was an interesting contrast with NB and NS. He called it "bucolic" and after a few hectic days that sounded good and besides PEI is where there is a lighthouse that is an inn so we were off.
There are two ways to get on the island, by bridge or by ferry. The bridge is called Confederation Bridge. The bridge is 8 miles long and it costs $41.50 Canadian to use it. That is both ways so its not that expensive. We took the bridge and after arriving on PEI decided to stay in Charlottetown for the night. I'd read some brochures about Charlottetown and like it might have the same kind of atmosphere as St. John. We found what we thought was a B&B called Garden Gate B & B in the guidebook but it was basically a motel.
No continental breakfast but gosh there's a Wendy's right next door. The place smelled a little musty but seemed clean enough. We were tired and the price was reasonable so we decided to stay there. But it were'nt no B & B.
After unpacking we decided to explore Charlottetown and find a place to eat. It is the largest city on PEI and a college town and there was traffic and not much in the way of atmosphere. We finally found a nice restaurant down by the wharf and had a quiet dinner. By the time we got back we were both tired and that was that for day 6.
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