The waters in the Bay of Fundy experience such dramatic tides partially due to resonance. The moon drives the tides because it has a large enough mass that it has a gravitational pull on the oceans of earth. If the moon is close then the water is pulled toward it, as the moon travels around earth the water is eventually pulled away. The particular shape of this bay works in a way that right as the water is pulled away it’s at the perfect time to swing back the other way, similar to pushing a person on a swing at the perfect time. This resonance creates one of the largest tide changes on earth and we intend to explore this phenomena today. 

Last year when I was thumbing through a travel guide for Atlantic Canada, Everest stopped me on one page and said, “ohhh I want to see that.” Hopewell Rocks is one of the premiere attractions along this coast and anyone would single it out as a point of interest.  We intend to see it at both high and low tide so I found a private campground nearby to spend the night. We arrive at high tide and check out the different viewing platforms and even hike down to the shore before being turned back by giant gates telling us to return at low tide. My dream would be to Kayak right now but there is no way with three young children so we don’t even inquire. The strange arches and mushroom shaped rock formations are shaped by the different sandstone and conglomerates that make up the rock layers of the cliffs. I look forward to returning in the evening and walking through and around these formations on the ocean floor.

After checking out the visitor center we decide to check into camp and lounge around during mid day while we await the low tide. Amy dozed off reading so I took the kids fishing, we tried our best casting out into the ponds near our campsite and had no luck. 

When we return, the crowds at Hopewell rocks has swelled. This time when we reach the shore, the gates are open and we notice everyone passing us is covered in mud up their ankles. We also notice a line for the hose station. We descend into a geologists dream, so many unique structures and rocks. It’s fun to imagine how the perfect physics of the universe had to collide right here to give us this amazing wonder. The bay had to form just right, the moon had to be in the perfect orbit, the rocks that make up this area had to fall just right, and in the end we are left with this unique experience. We started with the illusion the kids would stay out of the mud. Eventually we gave up and told them to go crazy. We walked amongst the arches and mushrooms we photographed earlier. Amy takes the opportunity to film some videos for her students about erosion and tides. What better classroom than here to learn about that.

We have not adjusted to the light change, while camping, we usually just go to bed when it gets dark. This is increasingly becoming later and later as we make our way north. I often see we are just chugging along hanging out when I notice how quiet it is and everyone else has gone to bed. Rest of the world is in tune with the amount of light here and have adapted to going to bed while it’s bright out. We will adapt I’m sure but these late night walks and fires are really fun.