Fundy Scenic Drive

No post yesterday because by the end of the day I felt like I had been "rode hard and put up wet!"  We did go on the scenic cruise of the St. John harbor and mouth of the St. John River where the 30 foot tides cause the river to reverse.  The boat was not very big but did seem to have a very powerful inboard diesel engine.  It needed that power to make headway against the extremely strong currents made by the dramatic tides.  The boat was open with two rows of bench seats, back-to-back, down the middle of the boat behind the driver’s console (where the driver stood).  In the bow were seats for 4 people.  There were perhaps 14 – 16 total souls on board.  All but the bow seats were covered by a a canopy.

The weather wasn’t bad, just a little nippy with a little fog out in the Bay of Fundy.  It was just past slack tide, when the bay and the river levels were equal, and the tide had begun going out towards the bay (it would be low tide 6 hours later).  Rich and Helen and Carol Ann and I were the last to board so we got the bow seats. 

While motoring around the harbor it began to get colder, (low 50’s) but we had dressed for cold weather so it wasn’t too bad.  However, when a light rain began falling on us in the bow with no canopy over our heads, it began moving towards “bad”.  The driver (pilot, captain, or whatever you call them) offered us yellow rain coats, which we gratefully accepted.  By this time the current was quite severe, creating white water rapids and whirlpools.  Just as we arrived back at the dock the rain began coming down harder.  In other words, it was horrible boating weather.  Glad I didn't take my camera.

We left St. John this morning a little before 10:00AM for the 107 mile drive to the Ponderosa Pines Campground near Hopewell Rocks.  We drove through the Fundy National Forest of Canada and stopped for lunch in Alma, a small fishing village on the Bay of Fundy.  The village is centered on the small delta of the Upper Salmon River and Cleveland Brook, where the locals rely on lobster and scallop fishing plus tourism.  The population is only 232 but boasts 2 motels, 1 hotel, a service station, 2 churches, a liquor store, 2 grocery stores, a bakery, and several restaurants.

We didn’t get to see much of the scenery along the drive due to fog and light rain.  However, since our arrival at the campground the weather has improved 100% and the sun keeps peeking in and out.  This is really a beautiful campground, right on the bay.

Tomorrow we are going out to the “Flowerpot Rocks,” twice.  Once at low tide and again at high tide (or maybe it’s high then low tide).  In between, we plan on driving about 20 miles back down the coast to photograph a lighthouse.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate.