June 2nd we crossed into Canada at St Stephen,
New Brunswick. We were happy to return to the Canadian dollar and the metric
system.
Dale and Mary, Lindsay’s other grandparents, live near St
Stephen so we were excited to see them again and
learn more about their part of Canada. All four grandparents Skyped with
Lindsay in Surrey and had a great visit. Mary has had very serious health
issues and we were glad to see her improvement and positive attitude.
St Stephen is the birthplace of Gagong chocolate where the
chocolate bar and chicken bones were invented. Yummy!
The Bay of Fundy tides are a result of tidal action
originating in the Southern Indian Ocean, sweeping around the Cape of Good Hope, across the Atlantic and north into the Bay of Fundy.
Nearby St Andrews provided our first glimpse of the power
and drama of the Bay of Fundy with the highest tides in the world.
At low tide the same pier was almost grounded.
The history of the community is displayed with unique
murals.
A few years ago Lindsay, Dale and Mary enjoyed a sunset
supper and July 1st fireworks from the deck of the Gables
Restaurant. We repeated the experience but without fireworks.
Fresh, local seafood has been a highlight of our trip and
this was no exception.
The sunset topped off a wonderful day.
The dramatic driveway of the historic Algonquin Resort showcases
the old world charm of the area.
Covered bridges also echo the history of New Brunswick.
The geology of the Maritimes is vividly revealed at the
mouth of the St. John River. This cliff shows the effect of plate tectonics as millions
of years ago the Supercontinent of Pangea broke apart and the Atlantic Ocean
opened. This fault line continues across the Atlantic to Scotland.
The Reversing Rapids occur where the St. John River thunders
through a narrow gorge. As the Bay of Fundy tide rises it slows the outward
course of the 450 mile river until it comes to a complete stop. This calm,
called slack tide, lasts about 20 minutes and is the only time boats can
navigate the Rapids. As the tide continues to rise, the powerful tidal force
reverses the flow of the river as far upstream as Fredericton, 80 miles inland.
