HOPEWELL CAPE (GNB) – Rainy autumn weather did not dampen the spirits of the delegates who visited the Hopewell Rocks during their visit to the province for the annual conference of the Transportation Association of Canada held recently in Fredericton.

“I was really impressed with the tour,” said Agnes Ross of Saskatoon. “The rocks were phenomenal. It is something you will not see anywhere else. It was well worth the drive (from Fredericton) to see them. The countryside is beautiful.”

The Hopewell Rocks are one of New Brunswick's top attractions. Open seasonally from mid-May to mid-October, they are located along the coast of the Bay of Fundy, which is home to the world's highest tides. The picturesque rock formations are caused by tidal erosion. Due to the extreme tidal range of the Bay of Fundy, the base of the rock formations is covered in water twice a day. However, it is possible to view the formations from ground level and even walk on the ocean floor at low tide.

Paul Gaudet, manager of the Ocean Tidal Exploration Centre, explained how the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon on the tides send 100 billion tonnes of water from the Atlantic Ocean into the Bay of Fundy twice a day. This water travels about 282 kilometres (175 miles) to the rocks, creating tides as high as a four-storey building.

“It is the bathtub effect,” Gaudet said. “Every six and a half hours the tide goes in and goes out, and through the passage of time, the tide is carving out what you see today.”

Meanwhile, an eco-system has developed around the rocks. The vast sediment planes in the Fundy basin support a variety of biological productivity. Various shorebirds, including 1.5 million sandpipers from the Arctic, are often seen flocking to nest and feed in the area.

The delegates toured the rocks where they were able to view them at both high and low tide. The group also enjoyed a traditional New Brunswick brunch at the Broadleaf Guest Ranch in Hopewell Cape where they tasted marsh greens, a well-known local dish. They also visited Kelly's Bake Shop in Alma for some famous sticky buns and on the way home were able to admire New Brunswick's rural landscape and fall colours.

The Transportation Association of Canada is a not-for-profit, membership-based group which serves as a neutral forum for exchanging ideas, information and knowledge on technical guidelines and best practices in Canada's transportation and road sectors. The association also promotes the importance of transportation to Canada's economic and social well-being as well as safe, secure, efficient and environmentally and financially sustainable transportation services.


19-10-12