Nowhere on earth has tides quite as spectacular, powerful, or useful as the Bay of Fundy. This imposing natural marvel, between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast, is a fascinating Porsche Travel Experience destination for nature lovers and thrill seekers
Harnessing the colossal power of the oceanPower is at the heart of every Porsche adventure trip – but nothing like this. One hundred and sixty billion tonnes. That’s the unimaginably vast volume of water that flows into Canada’s Bay of Fundy and back out again twice per day. Every tide here raises the water level by up to 21 metres (69 feet). These extreme tides along the coasts of the eastern Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are a remarkable natural phenomenon, completely transforming the landscape every six hours. Nowhere else in the world has a range as high as this or where can you see strong tidal power displayed with such tirelessly beautiful regularity. It makes them ideal conditions for generating emissions-free electricity from the sea. The province of Nova Scotia is pioneering the use of sea energy for power generation. It’s partnering with the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy, Canada’s leading research institute for innovative tidal power, to research optimum ways to use the power of the sea and its enormous flow speeds. Nova Scotia was the site of North America’s first ever tidal power station (the recently closed Annapolis facility). Today there are a multitude of schemes that aim to use the sea to generate power, like the proposed Pempa’q In-stream Tidal Energy Project. Here, large floating tidal energy platforms that use underwater turbines to harness the ocean’s power will be tested at Minas Passage near Cape Sharp. It hopes to eventually create enough energy to power 3,000 homes.Canada’s extraordinary Bay of Fundy is home to the largest tidal range on the planetThe giant ‘flowerpots’ of Hopewell RocksNowhere illustrates the power of tides more clearly than at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick. The tall sandstone cliffs here tower like sentinels above the crystal-clear sea. Over millennia, the dramatic water movements have formed striking outcrops. With trees growing on top of them, at high tide they look like giant flowerpots. At low tide, they are left completely exposed allowing you to climb down past the giant stone formations and walk on the rust-red seabed. The difference in sea levels here between low and high tide is around 13 metres – a unique natural phenomenon that plays out four times a day. Its narrow beach stretches out into a miles-wide sandy strand, making it a perfect setting for a picnic of fresh lobster, the bay acting as a beautiful backdrop behind for your Porsche adventure trip.The ‘flowerpots’ of Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick are submerged by tides twice a dayExtreme tides and adrenaline kicks on your Porsche adventure tripEven if Porsche fans usually look for their adrenaline kicks on the asphalt, you will be tempted by the untouched wild nature here. Especially when the mighty volumes of water at high tide ebb back into a 200km-long funnel (124 miles) in a few short hours to low tide, producing such power that they reverse the direction of inflowing rivers. Like an inverted waterfall, the floods become genuine adventure playgrounds – on an inflatable raft, adventure-seekers can ride the powerful tides upstream. They can also satisfy their lust for adventure by abseiling down the tall cliffs straight to the rocky seabed below.The mighty currents of the Bay of Fundy also create a unique marine habitat. It’s one of the world’s most biodiverse bodies of water, with countless species of fish and other organisms, including herrings, crustaceans, mackerel, rays, sharks and the last 350 whales living out of captivity in the North Atlantic. The vast sea mammals seek safety and nourishment here in summer. To see a 12m-long (40 foot) finback whale surface directly next to your ship and spray a cloudy column of water over the heads of whale watchers is one of the most memorable experiences life has to offer. Watching its giant tail fin rise out of the sea and shortly afterwards hear it smack onto the water on a Porsche adventure trip is unforgettable and emotional.Pods of dolphins and rare whales call the Bay of Fundy home | novascotia.comThe Bay of Fundy’s 170 miles of jagged cliffs, phenomenal tidal range and collection of some of the world’s rarest whales – like the Northern Atlantic Right whale, the most endangered in the world – make it one of the planet’s most spectacular natural wonders. In addition to national parks, protected coastal forests and unique landscapes that could have sprung from the pages of a Tolkien book, participants in the Porsche Travel Experience Nova Scotia/New Brunswick will experience a relatively untouched region that’s become a global role model for sustainability and low-impact tourism.This story is part of the 25 Years of Porsche Travel Experience anniversary series. We take you on a virtual world tour around the globe – with a new, fascinating episode each week. Click here to read all stories.
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