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The
World's Highest Tides
The
Guinness Book of World Records states the
world's highest tides to be in the Minas
Basin, N.S., with the maximum tidal range
recorded at 16.8 meters (54.6 ft).
Parrsboro, the largest seaport on the
Minas Basin, affords the best view of this
tidal phenomenon. At this point the tide
floods and ebbs over 3.2 kilometers (2
mi.) of tidal flat from the low water mark
to the head of the harbour.
Each phase
of the cycle takes approximately 5 hrs\40
min. which results in each succeeding high
or low water mark range an average 14m.
(45.5 ft.) while the harbour heights are
about 7.5 m (24 ft.). The initial cause of
tidal action is the pull or attraction on
the world's oceans by the moon, sun,
planets and stars. They exert their
gravitational influence most in relatively
narrow bands around the earth at about 45
degrees north and south latitude. This is
so because those are the areas tipped
closest and farthest away from these
celestial bodies.
Although
the gravitational pull on the earth by
these bodies and particularly by the moon
is strong, it is not enough to actually
lift water but it can greatly influence
its direction of flow, thus creating ocean
tides. Along the Atlantic coast of Nova
Scotia ocean tides account for a general
rise and fall of from one of two meters.
Sometimes this figure can be higher if
there is a celestial alignment which would
combine the gravitational influence of
these bodies on the earth. However, for
the Bay of Fundy Region, there are two
other principal factors (geographical
shape and tidal resonance) which change
these two meter tides to the world record
breaking sixteen meter and above variety.
The pull
of the ocean by the celestial bodies at
the mouth of the funnel shaped Bay of
Fundy creates a wave of water that
continues to double up on itself as it
travels to the Bay's head and then falls
back. The entire trip happens to take
about thirteen hours by which time the
moon is ready for another pull. The timing
of this cycle creates a rhythmic rocking
or "sloshing effect" to the water in the
Bay which amplifies the tides to such
unusual heights. It is estimated that for
the Fundy tides there may be as many as
two hundred different factors that all in
some way influence the timing and heights
of tides.
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The
Mighty Fundy Tide
The
tides in Nova Scotia's Bay of
Fundy are the highest in the
world. Twice a day 115 billion
tones of water move in and out of
the 160 mile long v-shaped pocket
of sea-water. The rise and fall
is 20, 30, often 40 feet in some
places. During periods of high
winds and a full moon, some Bay
of Fundy tides have risen as high
as fifty feet. The record
variance between high and low has
been measured as 54 feet in a
place called Burncoat Head on the
Minas Basin. The Glooscap Trail,
named for the Micmac Indian God,
follows the shoreline of
Chignecto Bay, the Minas Channel,
the Minas Basin, and Cobequid Bay
where long stretches of mud flats
are exposed during low tides and
where curious backward waves
called tidal bores occur during
the rise. Further along the mouth
of the Bay of Fundy in St. Mary's
Bay, at Digby, in the Annapolis
Basin and along the coast of the
North Mountain are other, if less
dramatic, examples of the amazing
Fundy tides.
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As
a natural phenomenon, the Bay of
Fundy tide is not a sudden and
dramatic event, but rather a
gradual, remarkable occurrence.
In some places in Cobequid Bay,
the high tide comes in as fast as
one inch per minute, fair warning
for adventurous beachcombers who
stray too far from shore. Ships
and fishing boats that use the
Bay of Fundy Ports like Delaps
Cove, Parker's Cove, Hampton,
Parrsboro, and Hall's Harbour are
found flush and even with
adjacent wharves during high
tides, but become stranded, high
and dry, 20 feet down when the
tides recedes eight hours later.
Rivers running into the Minas
Basin, Cobequid Bay and Chignecto
Bay often experience a tidal bore
- a wave of water that moves
upstream against the current,
making it seem like the river is
running backwards.
Tidal
bores regularly occur in the
Macaan River and River Hebert
near Amherst, the Chigonois and
Salmon River near Truro, the
Shubenacadie River and the
Meander River near Windsor. The
Salmon River on the outskirts of
Truro is the most popular place
to watch the tidal bore. Tide
times are well posted and there
is parking near the viewing
sites. Unlike the gradual tide
change, a tidal bore occurs in a
matter of minutes. It passes in
seconds. As the high tide reaches
it peak, a small wave of water
(the wave increases in height
with wind direction and the
phases of the moon) suddenly
appears at the mouth of the river
and works its way up stream. At
some places in the stream, the
bore causes white water
turbulence as the river fights to
push back the advancing tide. But
the mighty Fundy tide always wins
and soon the mud-covered river
sides are engulfed in water, the
river fills its banks and the
advancing bore disappears
gradually upstream. A remarkable
and unusual sight -- found
nowhere else in North America,
part of the magic and mystery of
the amazing Fundy tides.
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Spencers
Island - Advocate
Harbour
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Spencer's
Island - which is not an island -
was once Nova Scotia's premier
shipbuilding community. Now
greatly diminished from its glory
days, it is an interesting little
area with a bed and breakfast,
historic lighthouse, campground,
gift shop and restaurant. The
former lighthouse now contains an
interpretive centre.
The
lighthouse was built in 1904 and
first lit on July 15 of that
year. The original project,
supervised by the first keeper,
Baxter McLellan, cost $645.87.
The building, constructed of
timber, was 33 feet high from the
base to the ventilator on the
lantern, with a main floor about
l5 feet square and interior
stairs leading up to the light.
It was built on the beach, 63
feet back from the water to the
eastward of the inner end of the
Government pier. (Now gone.) The
light was fixed red, visible for
about 7 miles from all points of
approach, with a seventh order
dioptric lens.
The
photograph is of this original
tower, which still stands, but is
much closer to the water. It does
not shows the old fog bell
apparatus that was used many
years ago because after it was
de-commisioned a local had a
little too much rum and decided
to ring the bell with his shotgun
for one last time... and you know
the rest of the story..... There
was a winding mechanism, and once
wound, the bell would ring for
about 12 hours before re-winding
was necessary. The first keeper,
Baxter McLellan, was paid $100
per year at his appointment in
1904.
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The
light was discontinued in the
1980's because commercial
shipping no longer used the
channel. It was acquired by the
Spencers Island Community
Association from the Federal
Government after 2 years of
negotiations. It opened to the
public in 199I as a small museum
with pictures of the sailing
vessels built in local shipyards,
artifacts and the like. In 1995
and 1996 major renovations were
made, funded by local fund
raising projects. In 2006, the
Canadian Coastguard gave
permission to turn the light back
on. Instead of attracting ships,
it now attracts
tourists.
A
nearby cairn tells the story of
the Mary Celeste, a brigantine
built here as the Amazon in 1861.
She was wrecked off Cape Breton
in 1867, but salvaged and
re-registered in 1868 in New York
as the Mary Celeste. In 1872 she
was found sailing herself off the
Azores, with not a soul left
aboard. Her abandonment is one of
the enduring mysteries of the
sea, and has been the subject of
numerous articles, plays and
novels.
The
beach area is a breeding site for
the Double Crested Cormorant,
Black Guillemot and Blue Heron.
You can usually see herons
feeding in a marsh located on the
land side of the beach. This is
the only local nesting site for
the Black Guillemot, but herons
and cormorants breed all along
the coastline from here to Five
Islands.
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Cape
Chignecto Provincial
Park
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At
Cape Chignecto Provincial Park,
towering 185-meter (600-foot)
cliffs rise from the Bay of Fundy
while the world's highest tides
lap at their base. Cape Chignecto
is a 4,200-hectare natural
environment park on a dramatic
coastal peninsula. The park
features 29 kilometres (18 miles)
of pristine coastline, some of
Nova Scotia's most significant
geological features, deep
valleys, sheltered coves, rare
plants, remnant old growth
forest, scenic views, and a rich
cultural heritage. We offer
wilderness camping in secluded
coves and ravines, while a
spectacular coastal hiking trail
leads visitors along high cliffs
and deep valleys.
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The Joggins
Fossil Cliffs
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The
fossil cliffs of Joggins are a
world-class palaeontological
site, and they have been
designated a Special Place under
the Province of Nova Scotia's
Special Places Protection Act.
Joggins is located near the head
of the Bay of Fundy, in an area
where the tides are some of the
world's highest (over 15 meters).
This tidal action causes steady
erosion of the 23 meter high
cliffs.
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The
cliffs have yielded
fossils which give an
unprecedented glimpse
into life during the
Carboniferous Period,
including: a rich
variety of flora; a
diverse fauna of
amphibians; some
exciting trackways of
the Arthropleura; and,
some of the world's
first
reptiles.
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The
Cape d'Or Lighthouse, established
in 1922
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A
fog whistle was established on
the cape in 1875 to warn mariners
of the tidal rips. The first
light, a square wooden tower,
painted white, standing on a red
wooden trestle, was built in
1922.
From
the evidence in photographs, the
first keeper's house was built at
the site of the current
lighthouse.
The
current keeper's bungalows were
built in 1958/59, and the
concrete lighthouse in 1965. The
light was automated and
de-staffed in 1989.
In
1980, an archaeological dig just
west of the lighthouse discovered
tool fragments of aboriginal
people which were dated to about
2000 years ago.
Cape
d'Or was the last verified
nesting site in Nova Scotia for
the rare Peregrine Falcon. When
attempts to re-establish the
birds began in 1982 it became a
falcon release site. You may see
these birds if you visit. Rare
plants, normally found only at
high altitudes in the Rocky
Mountains grow on the
cliffs.
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The
Town of Parrsboro
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Parrsboro
is the nearest town to the old
Shipyard Beach
Campground.
Tucked
away on the Northern Shore of the
Minas Basin, Parrsboro has been
called "Nova Scotia's best- kept
secret". From our harbour one can
view the world's highest tides.
An article in the Nov/Dec issue
of National Geographic Traveler
Magazine quotes New Brunswick
Professor Bob Rosebrugh as saying
"The world's highest tides are in
the Bay of Fundy, and
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the
area around Parrsboro has to be the
prettiest place to watch them sweep in and
out".
The
author of the article, Barbara Peck, says
"This sweet northwestern corner, around
the coastal town of Parrsboro, is more
than picturesque; it's full of unusual
things to see and do."
Situated
approximately 50 kilometres (30 miles)
from the Trans-Canada highway linking Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick, Parrsboro is
less than two hours drive to the airports
of Moncton and Halifax.
As
one of the oldest settled areas of Canada,
our past encompasses the early Minas Basin
explorations of Champlain, longstanding
ties with New England and the American
Revolution. Shipbuilding and commerce
along the Parrsboro shore add to the
captivating past of our area.
On
August 10, 1776, a grant of land, 2000
acres in all, was given to Messrs. Avery,
Bacon and Lockhart on condition that they
operate a ferry with a craft capable of
carrying passengers and cattle from the
Partridge Island community, (the original
settlement) to Windsor. The land was later
conveyed to Thomas William Moore, James
Ratchford & Company. This marked the
beginning of the Ratchford's influence in
Parrsboro, the settlement being renamed in
1784 in honour of Governor Parr, who was
at that time the Governor of Nova
Scotia.
At
the turn of the 20th century, Parrsboro
was second only to Halifax in the number
of ships sailing on the Canadian east
coast.
Through
a series of fateful events beginning with
the emergency landing of the Handley- Page
airplane "Atlantic" in 1919, Parrsboro
later became a sister community to
Greenport, New York. In October of that
year, the repaired "Atlantic" carried the
first international air mail from Canada
to the United States on a flight from
Parrsboro to Greenport.
Click
Here
To Link To The Town of Parrsboro Official
Website
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Some
Of Our Many Local
Attractions
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Spencer's
Island Historic Site:
Mary Celeste
Cairn
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Beaches
with sea shells,
driftwood and the wold's
highesttides - 25' to
50' in height
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Nova
Scotia Adventures, Bay
of Fundy Kayak tours
operating from June to
September
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Spencer's
Island Lighthouse opens
to the public with
original pictures and
artifacts of ship
building in the
1800's
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The
Beach Cafe is located
across the
street
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Cape
d'Or Lighthouse,
Restaurant and
Lodging
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Advocate
"Farmers' Market" every
Saturday morning, all
local produce, crafts,
baked goods, a "must
see" event!
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Cape
Chignecto Provincial
Park
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Age
of Sailing Shipbuilding
Museum
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Joggins
Fossil Centre and
Museum
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