New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy in 2018
New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy is the site of several new outdoor, culinary and cultural adventures launching this summer. Famous for the highest tides in the world, with 160 billion tons of water rushing in and out of the bay twice a day, the Bay of Fundy offers unforgettable experiences combined with warm Maritime hospitality. Here are five exciting new activities worth seeking out this year:
GET PUMPED UP
Biking enthusiasts of all levels can weave, dip, and swell around the brand-new Fundy Park Mountain Bike Pumptrack, opened last month. Made in one continuous loop, the pumptrack lets cyclists ride around banks and turns with minimal pedaling keeping momentum with body movements. The adventure track is set in Fundy National Park and will feature several multi-purpose trails with varying levels of difficulty. Built with locally sourced granite dust, the environmentally friendly track is part of more than 12 miles of mountain bike trails created from old roads and campground sites. The addition of the pumptrack is part of the larger Chignecto recreation area redevelopment project which will include a large pavilion, astronomy interpretation site and campfire circle set to be completed by 2019. The pumptrack will be open year-round.
BREWS IN PEWS
The church bell at Alma’s decommissioned church-turned-brewery signals Happy Hour at the Holy Whale Brewery and Buddah Coffee Roaster & Café. Brothers Pete and Jeff Grandy restored the historic church by repurposing the stained-glass windows, some of the original pews, and the church exterior. The Grandys are focusing on freshly roasted coffee and craft beers on tap using local ingredients, such as the popular Bi-Furious Wit beer with New Brunswick blueberries. Nestled at the doorstep of Fundy National Park, the bayside fishing village and its first brewery/roastery is an ideal spot to begin or end a day of exploring the extensive National Park.
FOLLOW THE INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE TRAIL
There’s no need to be an art lover to appreciate the impressive collection of 56 large-scale granite sculptures along the International Sculpture Trail stretching from Maine to New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy. Through the New Brunswick International Sculpture Symposiums in 2012, 2014, and 2016, Sculpture Saint John has added the Canadian section to the existing trail along the coast of Maine. Plans are in the works to extend the trail with eight additional sculptures to be created on the Saint John water front in 2018. Together the two trails create a one-of-a-kind, 547-mile long international contemporary art exhibition by world-renowned sculptors. New Brunswick will host the international symposium this year from August 9 to September 22, 2018, and again in 2020.
SCALLOP SAFARI
Visitors can join an Atlantic Canada safari to search for scallops with Huntsman Marine’s scientists beginning May 2018. Aboard the research vessel the Fundy Spray, the Scallop Safari encourages shellfish-lovers to try their hand at collecting research materials with a plankton tow and participate in a scallop drag. Following in the steps of the first European settlers, guests travel through the St. Croix estuary and the Passamaquoddy Bay before ending the day with a tasty surprise. The excursion is available from May to October for ages 10 and older. Additional details to be released in April 2018 at http://bayoffundystartshere.com/plan-your-trip/experiences/.
TOUR THE WORLD’S HIGHEST TIDES
Red Rock Adventure is launching new tours on the world’s highest tides along the Fundy Trail via Zodiac. Tide riders will explore the record-breaking tides when 160 billion tons of seawater flows in and out of the bay twice daily. Led by a company of professional adventure experience guides, guests will tour the longest stretch of coastal wilderness on the eastern seaboard from the water. The bay is filled with geological formations, wide marine diversity, and rugged landscapes best seen from the seat of a Zodiac. Lucky guests might also spot wildlife including seals, porpoises, and bald eagles. The two-hour excursion costs around £45 per person ($65 CAD plus sales tax). Tours are available June through October and are weather dependent.
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For further information please contact Amy Skelding, Emily Olsen and April Cernuschi at atlanticcanada@brightergroup.com 020 7326 9880.