Sat Aug 2 - Hopewell Rocks and campfire

Sat Aug 2 – Hopewell Rocks and campfire

Trail down to the rocks

View from Trail - Big cove (L'Anse) Low tide

Derek and  Big Cove

After a lazy morning, we headed out to Hopewell Rocks, some 45 km from the park. Hopewell is famous for its flower pot rock structures and for being able to walk on the ocean floor when the tide is low. This area in the Bay of Fundy has the worlds largest tides (so we are told). The average difference between low and high tide averages some 35 feet up to 48 feet. It is quite an experience. We walked down to the ocean floor (about 15-20 minutes down hill) and wandered around the flowerpots and took some photos of the mud flats and rocks. The area was once inhabited by French colonists (Acadians) (Wikki them) and they cleverly manipulated the tidal areas using a dyke system to produce lush salt marshes and farmland. After they were unceremoniously ‘removed’ by the English in the mid 18^th century during the ‘Great Expulsion’ the area slowly returned to the mud flats and salt marshes and are important part of the worlds ecosystem.

The famous flowerpot shot

Walking on the Ocean floor

After walking on the ocean floor we went back up the trail and took another trail to Diamond rock and on to Madamoiselles Beach for more great views. We then sat around the interpretive centre and had a snack and coffee and waited a couple of hours for the tide to come in. We did not wait for the full high tide, but we were suitably impressed by the fact that where we had been standing only a short while ago was now at the bottom of the ocean. We walked back down the trail to take some pictures of the area with water. It is quite astonishing to see the amount of water that can appear so quickly. Apparently enough water flows into this natural wonder every tide period to fill the Grand Canyon…. Some 100 billions tonnes of water!!

After taking more photos we headed back to camp stopping at a covered bridge on the way for a photo-op. BBQ steak tonight for a treat. Then we joined a bunch of folk at the communal campfire and enjoyed the evening sharing stories with some great people from New Brunswick and Quebec. 

Traditional selfie at Hopewell Rocks

King of the castle... ocean floor!!

In a few hours.. the water will reach above me

Hopewell rocks tide coming in slowly

Mud flats/Salt marshes - from Hopewell

Tide still coming in! We stood under the arch.

Almost high tide

Almost high tide at Big Cove