Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy is a bay located on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. A small portion of the northwest corner of the bay's coastline fronts the US state of Maine. The name "Fundy" is thought to date back to the 16th century when the Portuguese referred to the bay as "Rio Fundo" or "deep river".

Geography

Sub-basins

The upper part of the bay bifurcates, splitting into Chignecto Bay in the northeast and the Minas Basin in the east. Chignecto Bay is further subdivided into Cumberland Basin and Shepody Bay and the extreme eastern portion of Minas Basin is called Cobequid Bay.

Related Topics:
Chignecto Bay - Minas Basin - Cumberland Basin - Shepody Bay - Cobequid Bay

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Cape Chignecto, Nova Scotia defines Chignecto Bay whereas Cape Split, Nova Scotia defines the Minas Channel, leading to the Minas Basin.

Related Topics:
Cape Chignecto, Nova Scotia - Cape Split, Nova Scotia

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The lower part of the bay is also home to four important sub-basins: Passamaquoddy Bay and Back Bay on the New Brunswick shore, Cobscook Bay on the Maine shore, and the Annapolis Basin on the Nova Scotia shore.

Related Topics:
Passamaquoddy Bay - Back Bay - Cobscook Bay - Annapolis Basin

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Islands

The bay is home to several islands, the largest of which is Grand Manan Island at the boundary with the Gulf of Maine. Other important islands on the north side of the bay include Campobello Island, Moose Island, and Deer Island in the Passamaquoddy Bay area. Brier Island and Long Island can be found on the south side of the bay while Isle Haut is located in the upper bay off Cape Chignecto. Smaller islands and islets also exist in Passamaquoddy Bay, Back Bay, and Annapolis Basin. The Five Islands, in the Minas Basin, are particularly scenic.

Related Topics:
Grand Manan Island - Gulf of Maine - Campobello Island - Moose Island - Deer Island - Brier Island - Long Island - Isle Haut - Cape Chignecto - Five Islands

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Rivers

The bay receives the waters of several rivers, including:

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New Brunswick

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• St. Croix River
• Magaguadavic River
• Saint John River
• Petitcodiac River
• Tantramar River

Nova Scotia

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• Annapolis River
• Cornwallis River
• Avon River
• Shubenacadie River
• Salmon River

The bay's extreme tidal range causes several interesting phenomena in the various rivers which empty into it.

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The Saint John River sees its flow reversed at high tide, causing a series of rapids at the famous Reversing Falls where the river empties into the bay, located in a gorge in the middle of the city of Saint John.

Related Topics:
Reversing Falls - Saint John

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Rivers in the upper Bay of Fundy have a smaller flow-rate than the Saint John, and a shallower slope. As a result, extensive mud flats are deposited throughout the tidal range of the rivers.

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Another phenomenon which occurs in these rivers of the upper bay is a "tidal bore", whereby the river flow is completely reversed by the rising tide. One of the better examples of a tidal bore can be seen on the Shubenacadie River near the town of Truro where local ecotourism operators offer the chance to experience rafting the bore upriver. Another good example of a tidal bore may be viewed on the Salmon River in the town of Truro. The once-famous tidal bores on the Petitcodiac and Avon rivers have been severely disrupted as a result of causeway construction in the 1960s-1970s which have caused excessive siltation.

Related Topics:
Tidal bore - Truro - Ecotourism - Causeway - 1960s - 1970s

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Communities

The largest population centres on the bay are the New Brunswick cities of Saint John and Moncton.

Related Topics:
Saint John - Moncton

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The New Brunswick towns of St. Andrews, Blacks Harbour, and Sackville as well as the Nova Scotia towns of Amherst, Truro, Windsor, Wolfville, Kentville, Annapolis Royal, and Digby are also located on the bay.

Related Topics:
St. Andrews - Blacks Harbour - Sackville - Amherst - Truro - Windsor - Wolfville - Kentville - Annapolis Royal - Digby

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