Canadian Maritimes with Mahoney/Brewers 08

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Terry, Tom, and Steve,

I couldn't help but chuckle while reading your respective discourses on the tides.  Jerry and I have been to many gold-bearing regions of the world and it's amazing how many of them claim to have the biggest producing gold field in the world.  Guess the same is true with tides....  I guess it's just human nature that everyone wants to be "numero uno."

Nevertheless, aren't the flower pots just the neatest place!  Also Betty reminded me of Alma.  We had a nice dinner there right next to the fishing boat anchorage channel and it was interesting to see the tide come in and refloat the boats.

ArdraF
 
Ardra,

I believe you misunderstood my messages &/or their intent.

Having grown up in an area where the tides were the highest in Europe, the Bay of Fundy didn't give me a "wow, look at those high tides" reaction. Had I been raised on the CA Delta, where the typical tidal variation is 4 feet, I'd have had a completely different reaction.

When we were kids, we'd go fishing at low tide on a pier and look way down at the water. Before we were done for the day, the water would be lapping over the top of the pier. Similarly, if we went fishing at the beach, we'd cast into the surf at low tide, and would spend the next several hours continually letting out line and walking up the beach.
 
Tom said:
Ardra,
I believe you misunderstood my messages &/or their intent.

  I have to agree.  I was only relating the information about the SAINT John River Reversing Falls for two reasons.  First, it was related to Tom's post about a tidal bore in England, and second, it pertains to the theme of this thread, the Canadian Maritimes.  I have no idea who is number one in tides, and don't really care. 

Steve
 
August 31 and September 1, 2008  Shediac, New Brunswick 

You have not heard from me for the past couple of days because we have not done anything special.  It has been a nice change of pace to  just hunker down in the motor home and wait out this storm.  We have had a steady rain,  day and night,  with gusting winds.  I have a lovely water view and noted white caps and water flowing over the rocks. As  I have been watching  Hurricane Gustov on TV, I  have not felt sorry for myself  with this weather event.  We have extended here for  a couple of more days hoping for a clear day to see a few more local sights. Many of the tourist places claim to be the biggest, best, oldest, highest, first and a slew of other superlatives.  They can all fool us as it is all new to us and still enjoyable.

The tourist scene is  on the decline.  Several of the shops here in this beach town are closed up.  When we phoned  The Garrison Historic District we learned they  are no longer having the Changing of the Guard Ceremony as most of them are students who have  had to return to  school.  The good news is that Passport  America rates are now good which give us 50% off at membership  parks. 

I took the opportunity today to renew my commitment to Weight Watchers.  I got out all of my books and will be seriously counting points until I am back in goal range.  The fun I?ve had sampling large portions of local cuisine has now come home to haunt me.  I?ve even gotten out the  rubber shoes I  bought while in wet Alaska and may attempt  to walk  in the rain for exercise but I kinda doubt it. 
 
I believe you misunderstood my messages &/or their intent.

Tom and Steve, not really.  In fact, I agree with you both.  Immediately after returning from an Alaska-Canada trip, where we saw lots of gigantic glaciers, we ended up in New Zealand where folks are really proud of their Franz Josef glacier.  It's nice, but it didn't impress us all that much because of our recent experience in Alaska.  I agree that it's in the eye of the beholder and that person's frame of reference.  Just reading all the messages clumped together is what amused me because it reminded me of all those gold mining claims.

ArdraF
 
Yes, when I looked at the posts from a different viewpoint I could misconstrue it as "Who has the biggest tides?"

Steve
 
September 2,  2008  Shediac, New Brunswick  Beautiful Day

It is amazing how the weather can be so dramatically different within a day.  Today was  sunny and beautiful.  The mosquitoes all seemed have drowned in the rain and wind of the past couple of days.  I?m rested up as a tourist and we set out for big adventures today that included Costco.

Our first stop was the Magnetic Hill.  Now this is admittedly a complete  tourist thing, but we  really enjoyed the  illusions created.  We drove into the Theme park and told the guy at the kiosk, ?We don?t want to go to the water park, nor to the zoo nor to the restaurants nor to the Winery, we just want to drive to the hill.?  No problem he says and $5.00 later we can take as many trips up and down that we like.  There was a large tour bus in front of us and we watched him .  We  parked at the designated spot, put the car into neutral and then we rolled  backwards up the hill.  I?m not kidding.  It felt as if we were coasting up hill.  My brain is  easily tricked so I decided to walk the drive.  Sure enough my legs we tired at the end as it was an uphill trek but it sure didn?t look like it.  What a fun illusion.  We made several trips and Terry took photos of the GPS to  see just how steep the hill.

From there the tour books lured us to the  small quaint Village of Sackville.  It claims to be the Cultural Capital of Canada.  I checked out a few art galleries  and museums that were closed today.  Tourist season is definitely coming to an end.  The local University is in session and it was fun to see the students all over the  beautiful  campus of stone buildings.  I noted the Elementary and Middle schools also in session.  I love being retired.

Back in Shediac we took advantage of the  Pont de Chene Wharf and viewed the calm blue  waters today along with the lovely sand beaches that boast the warmest waters north of Virginia.  Too bad we were not here earlier in the summer to enjoy the warm days too. 

The highlight of our evening was a surprise visit from Ed and Donna who came to wish us farewell as we head south  in the morning.  We told them all about our last few days and they gave us hints on things to do and see for our next destinations.  It was an official rally as we did take photos this time!
 

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Magnetic Hill sounds like fun. I'm a sucker for touristy (especially "unusual" touristy things). But I need to know, in the picture on the road, is the car headed downhill or uphill?

Wendy
 
Wendy

The car started at the white post & coasted UPHILL in reverse at quite a good rate.....So in that picture the front of the car is heading uphill.
 
There is also a gravity hill near the State capital in SLC.  Another place that will give the impression of going down hill when you are actually going up hill or visa versa is driving through the Wind River Canyon in Wyoming.
 
On our way home from Portland/Olympia, Pat complained that the exhause brake was on.  I checked the indicator, the RPMs, torque on the VMS and anything else I could check.  Then I looked out the window and realized she was going up hill.  I don't think she ever believed me.  This was in the pass east of Seattle on I-90.  It will fool you as the road is up but the surrounding land gives the impression that you are going down.  VBG
 
There's a spot like that on a small, mountain road on the northwestern shore of the island of Trinidad, as well as one here in Georgia, just north of Atlanta, in a small town called Cumming.

The gravity road in Cumming begins where two large, old oak trees spread their limbs over the narrow, two-lane country road.  To experience it you must drive your car to the bottom of the "hill" and place it in neutral with the engine off and it mysteriously rolls back "uphill" for a short distance.  Locals tell you that the car is being pushed backwards by the ghosts of slaves that were once hung from the oak trees at the top of the hill.  People have reported experiencing this at night and then driving to a well-lit gas station to notice the appearance of "hand prints" on their hoods.  I've tried this "gravity road" several times.  You actually do roll back "uphill" a bit, but I've never had hand prints appear on my hood.

Steve
 
Ron said:
There is also a gravity hill near the State capital in SLC.  Another place that will give the impression of going down hill when you are actually going up hill or visa versa is driving through the Wind River Canyon in Wyoming.

Come on Ron, I know we were going downhill in Wind River Canyon!!! ;D The one that really got me was I70 east heading for Moab. At one point I was sure I would need the exhaust brake so I turned it on while in cruise. Nothing happened. I looked at the small stream next to the highway and it was flowing in our direction. I finally checked the altitude on the GPS. We were actually going uphill!!! Thankfully, Terry Brewer confirmed my feelings as it happened to him as well. :)
 
Jim Dick said:
Come on Ron, I know we were going downhill in Wind River Canyon!!! ;D

I have had to point out to more than one which side of the dam the resivoir is on at the bottom of Wind River canyon.  For a lot of folks they feel they are going down hill when traveling South through the canyon. 
 
I love being retired

Betty, you know you're having a heck of a lot more fun than they are!  ;)

Jerry and I simultarneously said, "Leave it to Terry to take a photo of the GPS."  Now why didn't we think of that when we were there?  Yep, tourists R us!

ArdraF
 
Just look at your Turbo Boost and you'll know it's up hill.

JerryF
 
September 3,  2008   Saint John, New Brunswick,  Rockwood Campground

We moved  100 miles south today  to Saint John and ended up in a wonderful campground in that it has huge spaces with clear views of southern skies.  We trotted off to lunch at the restaurant overlooking the Reversing Falls.  The Bay of Fundy is said to have it?s anchor here.  We watched a video on the geography of the area and how the gravitational pull of the  moon cause this bulge in the water that forms the tides.  We could see the lovely  enclosed  power boat cruises on the water below our restaurant view.  We also saw the crazy folk in the jet boats  zipping through the rapids below.  Guess what we are going to do in the morning?  We were told we were guaranteed to get soaking wet.  Oh Boy. 

This is a very  interesting city  with many  old Victorian style mansions and brightly colored buildings mixed with new buildings.The crowds around town today were  hefty as there were 3 large cruise ships in the harbor today.   I picked up information in the visitor center and despite being a very tired tourist, I saw dozens of things that were of interest to me.  We may stay here longer than planned.  It  rained all afternoon so I had a chance to read all the tour books.  I will be fixing meals in motor home as much as possible to use up the items we will not be able to take back into the USA. 
 
September 4,  2008  Saint John, New Brunswick  Reversing Falls

It was a bright blue sky day with  a high of around 70.  Just perfect for our planned Jet Boat ride on the reversing falls which gave us a very up close and personal look at the power of the tides and an appreciation for the amount of water going in first one direction, then flatten (slack tide)  and  then go  out in the other.  Terry and I donned our raingear, jackets and pants and rubber shoes from our Alaska wardrobe.  Russ was to be the photographer.  We reported at  10:50 am and took photos of the rapids out front.  Yesterday when we were there the tide was coming in and water somewhat calm.  NOT so today, tide was retreating so the St John River was rushing in and causing big rapids and whirlpools and waves and moving so terribly fast.  I was having some hesitation but we had already paid for the  trip and the crowds were gone.  There  were  only two other  women  with us on the jet  boat.  We were advised to put on their rain gear and remove our watches, keys, glasses and  shoes.  Yep, even though our shoes were rubber we were advised to remove them.  We were told we would get wet.  So be it.  Our jet boat Captain gave us a lesson on the tides and advised us of the safety standards. He is from Quebec, had a very strong French accent and later I learned  just how sadistic he  could be.  We walked down the gang plank to our front row seat on the boat.  I was kinda hoping we could sit in the second row and be sheltered a bit from the water spray but no? we got front row seats.    A jet boat is very smooth, does not make a lot of noise but moves quickly and turns on a dime.  Mark the driver ( and owner of company)  took us out directly into the thrashing current, made a sharp circular turn into a  wave  and we were swamped,  Not splashed, not wet a little but completely drenched to the bone.  Water came in my ears, in my nose and down my neck.  So much for water proof clothing.  Mark looked back at his passengers and grinned an evil grin.  We were all laughing.  He asked us if we knew what the black birds nearby were. I said they looked like cormorants to us but he said they were vultures and laughed  and grinned an evil grin.  He was a kick.  He talked to us about the whirlpools and then let us experience them.  He took us over the rapids again and again and then out to the calm river.  He assured us there were no rocks creating these rapids but just the volumes of waters trying to levelize themselves to the incoming tides.  Each trip over the rapids created this wave that reminded me of swimming in large surf  in the ocean and having a huge wave crash right on your head.  When it was over I  hobbled up the gang plank, sat down for a while and could finally relax enough to say I enjoyed this event.  ?You will get wet ? is an understatement.  What a memory making experience! 
We drove back to motor home to change into dry clothes and catch a city bus tour but that shall be part 2 of today?s story.
 

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I wouldn't have believed it possible, but you look wetter than you did on the Colorado whitewater rafting trip out of Moab. I can only hope that you weren't as cold !!!

Hooray for Russ for taking the pictures !

Wendy
 
My wonderful Maritime trip is fast coming to a close :-(

I will depart Canada on Monday the 8th.

Who is still in New England? I plan on seeing a few favorite places in Maine and then to NY NY to visit a SCUBA buddie, Chet Parks in PA, and a high school friend in Washington DC and then back to Iowa by the first of Oct.

I will miss the Brewers who are wonderful traveling companions. I also will miss the delightful blogging by Betty...now I gotta struggle to do it myself!

Random notes.
Mosquitos were bad in PEI and Shediac but are rare here in St John. The attendant at the CG says it is due to the cold water of the bay of Funday keeping temps 10 degrees colder. Whatever, i am not complaining.

Today after getting pictures of the jet boat excursion, I went downtown to take a chance on a Mexican restaurant...couldn't find it! Went by where it was supposed to be 3 times. Saw a sign a block away pointing towards where it should be, but the store itself had no signage. Oh, well, went to the city market (a long hall with meat, fish, vegetable vendors and ready to eat vendors) which is a small version of the big ones like Pike mkt in Seattle.

This is an old old town with streets laid out over cow paths and has much traffic, complicated by construction...in other words -normal. I hate that!

Great weather today, upper 60s and sunny. DId a drive along the Fundy shore N of town. Tomorrow we will explore to the south which has more coves and fishing villages.
 

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