Exploring Sea Changes in Canada

The good news for young, adventurous travelers who yearn to do more than hike a coastline is the growth in the last decade of sea kayaking tours and rentals.

A fascinating location to explore by kayak is the Bay of Fundy, between the Canadian Atlantic provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Every day more than 100 billion tons of water wash in and out of the bay, creating terrific tides. This environment hosts plentiful bird and aquatic life, and it’s said that you can sight more whales there more of the time than anywhere else.

The Bay of Fundy’s funnel shape amplifies the tides, which rise every six hours and 13 minutes. At the lower end of the bay, at St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, the tides rise up to 28 feet. At the upper end of the bay, by Hopewell Rocks, the tidal change can be as great as 48 feet. A kayaker could explore an area by water in the morning, then walk across the same area that afternoon.

Inexperienced kayakers will find many small companies offering guided outings that last from several hours to several days. The expertise of knowledgeable guides is important because fog is frequent and the tidal changes can cause turbulence, higher-than-normal waves and whirlpools.

Kayaking companies, campsites and other adventure activities can be found by calling New Brunswick Tourism at (800) 561-0123, or online at https://www.tourismnbcanada.com.

The village of St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, telephone (506) 529-5120, Internet https://www.town.standrews.nb.ca, was settled in 1783 and still has many buildings from that era. It became one of Canada’s first resorts when the Algonquin Hotel, opened in 1899 and still serving guests, attracted wealthy visitors from Boston (a six-hour drive), Montreal and Toronto.

St. Andrews has oceanfront camping, and economical meals are available at the historic Chef’s Cafe. Surrounded by Passamaquoddy Bay, the town is popular for sea kayaking and whale watching.

Between June and October, finback (up to 60 feet, with lungs the size of a VW Beetle) and minke whales arrive in these rich feeding grounds. By late summer playful humpbacks also move into the region.

If you’re lucky, you might see a rare right whale or even a great blue, along with the resident seals and porpoises and a variety of bird life, including bald eagles.

For sea kayaking information, contact Seascape Kayak Tours, tel. (506) 747-1884, https://www.seascapekayak.nb.ca. To go on a whale-watching expedition, sign up at the town wharf. Tour boats range from Zodiacs to enclosed multi-deck vessels. The average cost of a 31/2-hour trip is $27.25.

On New Brunswick’s north shore is the Lighthouse Youth Hostel, 1 Ritchie St., in Campbellton, tel. (506) 759-7044. Along the southern shore, on the Bay of Fundy coast, travelers on student-style budgets will find lots of camping opportunities, a youth hostel in Fundy National Park and student residences that open their doors to travelers during vacations.

Continuing east along the Fundy coast you reach the city of St. John, where you can camp in one of the largest municipal parks in Canada (Rockwood Park, tel. [506] 658-2883) and board a jet boat from the city center to ride the Reversing Falls (about $19; tel. [506] 634-8987, https://www.jetboatrides.com). The party’s on between Aug. 10 and 18, with more than 300 performers arriving in the city to celebrate the Festival of the Sea.

East of St. John, at the village of St. Martins, is the beginning of the Fundy Trail. It’s a seven-mile scenic route for cars, with separate hiking and cycling trails, 40 lookout points and accessible routes along the coast for sea kayakers. Check it at https://www.fundytrailparkway.com.

Farther east is a youth hostel overlooking the bay at Fundy National Park, tel. (506) 887-2216, about a 25-minute walk from the beach. You can stay in small, rustic cabins for $8 to $11 per person, per night.

Midway between Fundy National Park and Moncton are the Hopewell Rocks. The tide-sculpted shore forms four-story “flowerpots” you can walk around at low tide, which become small islands you can sea kayak around after the tides have flooded back in. Admission is $3.25, and there is an interpretive center. Check it at https://www.hopewellrocks.com. For kayaking, call in advance because of the tide schedule. Contact Baymount Outdoor Adventure, tel. (506) 734-2660, https://www.baymountadventures.com.

Lucy Izon is a Toronto-based freelance travel writer and author of Izon’s Backpacker Journal. Internet https://www.izon.com.