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NEW
BRUNSWICK
New
Brunswick has it all when it comes to the coast and inland waters:
the amazing Bay of Fundy, the serene Saint John River, and its own
portion of the lively Northumberland Strait and the rivers that
flow into it.
An
excellent source of information about cruising the Fundy is A
cruising Guide to the Bay of Fundy and the Saint John River By
Nicolas Tracy and Sarah Petite, published by Goose Lane Editions
of Fredricton New Brunswick and available at an AMTA chart dealer
Bay
of Fundy
 The
Bay of Fundy is one of the worlds greatest natural phenomena
situated on the right shoulder of the North American continent.
The 173 mile long arm of the Atlantic Ocean is wedged between the
Maritime Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and is
accessed through the Gulf of Maine. The Bay features a narrowing
width 74 miles between Yarmouth, N.S. and Cutler, Maine, to 27
miles at Cape Chignecto (Thurston, 1998). The diminishing width
gives the Fundy a "funnel" shape, and has a remarkable
amplifying effect on the tidal patterns.
The
enormous tides of the Bay of Fundy can reach 53 ft at the head of
the Bay. The volume of water ebbing & flowing is estimated to
be 2000 times greater than the daily discharge of the Gulf of St.
Lawrence (Thurston, 1994). Tidal currents reach 5 to 6 knots and
can create some whirlpools. These tides create a rich and diverse
ecosystem, which allows plentiful fish, marine mammals such as
several species of whales and seals, and bird life.
 New
Brunswick starts at the Western end of the Bay of Fundy at the
Lubec narrows that separate the Canadian island of Campobello from
the State of Maine, USA at Eastport. The large island of Grand
Manan sits to the East of Passmaquoddy Bay which is guarded by
Deer Island. The town of St Andrews is at the head of Chamcook Bay
in Passmaquoddy. The beautiful Island of Grand Manan is serviced
by a ferry that leaves from the Blacks Harbour on the Northern
shore of Passamaquoddy Bay. The
Island, is the Dulse capital of the world and famous for its
wild flowers, lighthouses, bird life and whales which surround it.
After
Blacks Harbour, there is Dipper Harbour and Chance Harbour before
getting to the Port of Saint John . Saint John Harbour is a
working Port and some of the largest ships in the world unload
cargo at the port terminus. The entrance to the idyllic Saint John
River is here, through the famous Reversing falls at slack water.
Aquaculture
The
placement of Aquaculture facilities in Canada's navigable
waterways has high concentrations in some of the Bay of Fundy
bays.
Information
buoys are used to mark the perimeters of the leased sites.
Mariners should exercise caution and give a wide berth to these
buoys. For detailed information concerning the position of
aquaculture facilities contact the Canadian Coast Guard at the
following address.
Navigable
Waters Protection Program
P.O.Box 1000
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 3Z8
Tel: (902) 426-7853
Fax (902) 426-7585
 Whale
Protection
The
Bay of Fundy is known for its proliferation of whales.
The
Canadian Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, responsible
for ensuring the protection and conservation of marine mammals
provides the following guidelines:
-
Do
not hunt, chase, follow, disperse, drive, herd or encircle
whales
-
Avoid
any sudden changes of course or speed
-
Avoid
heading directly toward a whale
-
If
in an area known to be frequented by whales, be on the lookout
to avoid collisions
-
Travel
parallel to whales
-
The
mammals may wish to come closer to you; if they do, do not
chase them and be wary of any individual that appears tame.
Keep clear of flukes.
-
If
you are operating a sailing vessel with an auxiliary motor,
leave it in idle or turn on the echo sounder to signal your
presence.
-
If
it is impossible to detour around a whale or a pod of whales,
slow down immediately and wait until you are more than 400
metres away before resuming speed.
Three
Whale sanctuaries have been established in the Maritimes, in the
Grand Manan Basin, Northeast of Grand Manan Island in the Bay of
Fundy, The Roseway Basin off the South Eastern tip of Nova Scotia
and The Gully located North East of Sable Island.
Mariners
are advised to avoid these areas if possible. More
information about these areas is available on the Internet at www.notmar.com
 Sailing
Directions
There
are several factors that may not be typical for the cruising
sailor in the Bay of Fundy:
Vessels must take into account the large tides and significant
currents in the Fundy and in particular when planning a voyage to
or from the Harbour of Saint John. Slack water times must be
carefully considered for a transit through the reversing falls on
the Saint John River.
There
can be a concentration of large ships in the approach to Saint
John Harbour and even though most yachts are not required to
participate in the Vessel Traffic System (VTS) they should monitor
the appropriate VHF channel to be aware of ship movements.
Cruisers
should make sure they have the Sailing Directions to the Gulf of
Maine and Bay of Fundy as well as current tide tables.
Up
to date information on Charts, Tide Tables and Sailing Directions
are available
from AMTA chart dealers
Saint
John River
The
Saint John River is a huge river system, the largest in Atlantic
Canada. Boats can navigate the river to Fredericton, the Capital
of New Brunswick. The fresh water of the river provides a
wonderful change from the salt water Fundy, and the peaceful rural
way of life is seen as your boat meanders through fields, leafy
valleys and small riverside towns.
Information
about the Saint John River system can be found at www.river-st-john.com
Click
here for a map of the Saint John River
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