The low-tide walk
On the sea floor among the rocks.
Robinamber24 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · СССР — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Andrea Schaffer from Sydney, Australia — CC BY 2.0 · rokker — CC BY 3.0 · Rachelemery — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Hopewell Rocks, or Flowerpot Rocks, are sea stacks carved by the tides in a provincial park on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick. They stand 12 to 21 m tall, and are famous because the bay's extreme tide covers their bases twice a day before drawing back to reveal the sea floor. They are made of red-brown sedimentary rock, conglomerate and sandstone from the Carboniferous period. They were shaped after the glaciers retreated, by the huge volume of water flowing in and out of the bay, which still alters the scene. Small conifers crown some stacks, so they really do look like flowerpots. At low tide you walk among the stacks on the sea floor, seeing arches and caves up close, with brown mudflats stretching away. At high tide the way disappears and the tops of the rocks stand above the water, seen from raised platforms or by kayak. The silty water gives the scene a strange red colour. They are 34 km in a straight line from Moncton. Check the tide table before you go and be sure to get back before the water rises, as the tide comes in fast. The ticket is valid for two consecutive days, so you can see both low and high tide. Wear shoes you do not mind getting muddy and bring a light jacket. Take care on slippery rocks.
On the sea floor among the rocks.
Trees on top of the stacks.
The tide seen from above.
Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick
Check the tide table and try to see both tides, as the ticket lasts two days.
It rises fast, so get back in time and follow the park's instructions.