NEW BRUNSWICK - ST. MARTINS, ST. JOHN, SUSSEX, HOPEWELL CAPE -

TRAVELING TO CANADA: Thursday, July 10 - We departed Bethel, Maine at 7:30 am and reached Calais, Maine (1604) around 9:45. Calais is just two hours from Bangor with a population of less than 4000 and is the largest city in Washington County. It is the eighth busiest U.S.-Canadian Border crossing.

Customs took us 45 minutes and we had to be held and boarded by a very young and nice officer. He found five open bottles of liquor under the counter and could have written us up as we are only allowed 1.5 liter. He warned us to get rid of it before our US border crossing on our return. We saw signs at diesel fuel stations 162.5 liter ($5.88 gallon). We drove through fog for most of our journey after the Canadian border. We then came upon road construction on Rt. 111 for about five miles of dirt/gravel and bumps. The RV, truck and motorcycle took a beating. It was a very stressful day. We finally arrived at our destination, St. Martins Century Farm Family Campground.

The beach consists of multi-color smooth rocks from pin-size to small boulders.

This region borders the western side of the Bay of Fundy. Our park is on the bay looking across the small cove and the “Sea Caves”, some up to 25 feet diameter washed out in the cliffs over thousands of years by the tidal bore. The view from our large windows overlooking the bay is among the best we have ever had. Our park also has paved interior roads and full grassy sites. The route 111 coming north from St. John left a lot to be desired in an RV, but to the credit of Canada DOT, they are working on the upper end of Route 111.

The weather is in constant change from bright, sunny days to fog so thick you can’t see across the street, to rain and fog. Temps range from hi 75 to low of 58. And, yes, there are bugs, but mostly at dawn and dusk, nothing like New York, Vermont, and Maine. One of the most eye- catching road signs is a picture of a moose with the caption “don’t hit me - you will lose and die”. We have not seen any moose yet. We are on Atlantic time. We woke up to a beautiful morning with the sun already rising over the ocean at 5:00 am. It is so beautiful sitting here with a beautiful view of the Bay from our home. We ate dinner at the local Seaside Restaurant overlooking the famous St. Martin’s caves. We both had fried haddock and their famous clam chowder. Neither of us liked the chowder, as it was too thick St. Martins is a magnet for artists and photographers wishing to capture the unspoiled beauty of the area. St. Martin’s harbor at low tide of the Bay of Fundy and a picture of the harbor at high tide. A disastrous fire on May 31, 1900 destroyed over 68 buildings in the village - many of them the finest examples of Victorian architecture to be found anywhere. St. Martins is the ‘gateway’ to the famous Fundy Trail, about 15 minute drive from the park. We made several stops along the way with access to scenic looks at the Bay below and large granite ledges. We came across a 14% grade road before reaching the suspension bridge over the Big Salmon River. Saturday - Another beautiful, balmy day and we drove to see St. John. We left around 10-am and returned at 3pm. We drove through the city of St. John looking for the lighthouse. We didn’t see any way to get to it by vehicle, so we took a few pictures from a deserted area across from the major shipping channel. Such a shame this area is overrun with trash and looks like the homeless spend their time there at night. We also saw the beautiful Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The foundation stone was laid in May 1853 and walls were erected and a roof laid by November 1853. The blessing and first mass in the new cathedral were celebrated on Christmas Day 1853. Saint John was named by French Explorer Samuel de Champlain on St. Jean Baptiste Day June 24, 1604. After the American Revolution 14,000 British Loyalists fled the colonies and settled in Saint John making it the first official city in Canada in 1785. In the mid-1800's over 30,000 Irish immigrants fled the potato famine with dreams of a better life, but many arrived with typhoid fever and were quarantined on Partridge Island, now one of the city's 22 national historic sites.- Over 20,000 people have been laid to rest at the Loyalist Burial Grounds - The graveyard below the Carleton Martello Tower constructed by the British Army to protect Saint John during the War of 1812 was not originally a cemetery, but was disguised as one to dissuade polite soldiers from attacking the Tower by the most direct route.

The Great Fire of 1877 destroyed over 1600 buildings, including the entire business district. - Loyalist House survived the fire because servants put wet towels and sheets around it to ward off flames- Rockwood Park features 13 man made lakes and encompasses 2,200 acres, making it one of the largest urban parks in Canada. It was designed by Downing Vaux, the son of the partner of Frederick Law Olmstead who designed Central Park in New York City.- Saint John had the First river cable ferry invented by William Pitt and was installed on the Kennebecsis River near Saint John, early 1900s. It looks like the St. John Waterfront Development committee is doing what it takes to create a new image with a new facility for the fall cruise passengers. In addition, St. Andrews Park and a new lookout on the east side of Reversing Falls. St. John is set to welcome 82 ships and over 180,000 passengers during the fall season. We took time to locate two distinct historical markers. One was the Three Sisters Lamp at the south end of Prince William Street. Since 1848, the Three Sisters Lamp has guided mariners into the St. John harbor. At the same location is a Celtic Cross replica of one on Partridge Island in memory of more that 2,000 Irish Immigrants who died of typhus fever on board ship traveling from Ireland to New Brunswick in the famine year 1847. Over six hundred immigrants are buried in Partridge Island. The memorial was designed and erected by George McArthur in 1927. We saw the Reversing Falls and video explaining this phenomenon. Where the Bay of Fundy’s highest tides in the world meet with the St. John River forcing it to flow backwards twice daily. There are two restaurants overlooking the water, observation decks, trails along the water, a theatre and harbor cruises.

Acadians settled along the St. John River in the 1750s, after being expelled from Nova Scotia, but most were soon forced further north, to Quebec. When Quebec fell to the British, the Acadians were on the move again. Many Acadians now live along the northern and eastern coast of New Brunswick, including the Miramichi area. Shediac is just one of the many lively villages along the coastline.

Sunday and Monday were “bad weather” days. Although 75 degrees in the sun at 4pm, the west wind was howling 20-mph, with gusts around 30. There are whitecaps on the Bay, although it is low tide.

Tuesday, July 15 - We woke up to a foggy morning, but by 10-am we decided to leave regardless and drive the coastal roads to see the Hopewell Rocks. We drove through Sussex and took pictures of the famous murals in Sussex. The Community’s rich local history are presented in the form of 26 impressive murals, painted on walls throughout the beautiful downtown areas. It is a truly amazing and unique 24-hour around the clock ‘outdoor art gallery’. The town was named in honor of the Duke of Sussex, son of King George III. The area was originally settled by a few families, followed by the 1784 arrival of United Empire Loyalists from New Jersey, who had been forced from their homes after the American Revolution. The Loyalist presence led to the establishment of the Parish of Sussex in 1786. Town of Sussex was incorporated in 1904.

Sussex is known as the Mural Capital of Atlantic Canada. The historic Sussex Train Station played an important role in Sussex since the mid-1800s. It is one of the town’s most distinctive landmarks. The first train passed through town in August 1859, replacing the stagecoach service. Thousands of soldiers from Camp Sussex left for their postings in Canada and overseas from here.

Over one hundred years ago, covered bridges were major links in New Brunswick’s road system. There are 16 covered bridges still standing in Kings County and they celebrate the history and romance of these bridges each July. Large wreaths adorned each end of the bridge, and Christmas carols greeted visitors to the 1908 bridge. This 36-metre bridge spans the Kennebecasis River and is one of the oldest original bridges in New Brunswick. A common nickname for these treasures is the “Kissing Bridges”, derived from exploits of young male suitors to steal a kiss from their sweethearts. The men would train their horses to stop in the covered bridges in the evenings. A good horse would know to continue through in daylight-- a habit especially helpful on Sunday mornings when families headed to church. It is said covered bridges have the power to grant wishes. To have a wish come true, horse-and-buggy passengers would shut their eyes, raise their feet and hold their breath for the length of the bridge. Today's passengers hold their breath for the length of the bridge for good luck. The Fundy forest is bathed in moisture from the Bay. You see dark, dense evergreens lining steep slopes from the river valleys that channel cold air from the Bay of Fundy. Hopewell Rocks in Hopewell Cape, NB. Our drive continued to Hopewell Cape northeast of Sussex and the northwestern end of the Bay of Fundy. Route 114 is a terrible road and had we known, we would have taken Rt. 1 & 2.

It is Safe to walk on the ocean floor from three hours before low tide to three hours after. The Bay was out and at a very low tide due to the full moon. Flowerpot rocks are created by the clash of continents, carved by melting glaciers, and then sculpted by the highest tides in the world.

Tides the height of a four-storey building, 1.5 km (almost a mile) of coast lined with uniquely shaped flowerpot rock formations, migratory shorebirds, the Mi’kmaq legends, and natural history all play a part in telling the story of Hopewell Rocks. One hundred billion TONS of water move in and out during this tidal change. We had to descend steep steps with the knowledge that we also had to climb back up as there was not an elevator. Fortunately, there is a shuttle to take you down halfway before the steps to go to the floor of the ocean. They warn us to be mindful of our own safety while on the beach.

The rock formations are constantly eroding and tides rise quickly.

We saw the Chocolate River that flows into the Bay. It is true to its name - color of chocolate caused by iron from the surrounding area. It was not at all inviting and can’t imagine cleaning equipment in the river water.

b:if cond='data:blog.pageType !="item"> >