We Oklahomans do not know much about, and do not care much about the sea tides. But coast residents do care about tides and plan accordingly.
The Bay of Fundy is a bay between the Canadian Maritime Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It has an extremely high tidal range.
The average tidal range in the Bay of Fundy is about 16 meters (54 ft). (The average tidal range worldwide is about one meter (3.3 ft). Some tides are higher than others, depending on the position of the moon, the sun, and atmospheric conditions. Tides are semidiurnal, meaning they have two highs and two lows each day with about six hours and 13 minutes between each high and low tide.
Because of tidal resonance in the funnel-shaped bay, the tides that flow through the channel are very powerful. In one 12-hour tidal cycle, about 110,000,000,000 tons (100 billion tons) of water flows in and out of the bay, which is twice as much as the combined total flow of all the rivers of the world over the same period. They are as powerful as 8,000 train engines or 25 million horses. The Annapolis Royal Generating Station, a 20 MW tidal power station on the Annapolis River upstream of Annapolis Royal, is one of the few tidal generating stations in the world, and the only one in North America.
But on our way to camp in Fundy National Park, we stopped at nearby Hope Cape and visited its spectacular coastline.
Looking down a steep staircase we see tourists walking on the seabed during low tide and admiring the rock spires sculpted by relentless sea. Each tourist group has to be led by a licensed guide.
We walk a long way along the wet sandy and muddy seabed. The high tide waters reach up to the bottom of the trees perched on top of the stone towers.
About midway along the long and spectacularly rugged coastline stands an “escape tower” for those who lingered too long and the fast rising tide is nipping at their heels. They must climb the tower and wait for hours for the tide to recede so they can escape.
Welcome to the lobster fishing town Alma, the home of the highest tides in the world. The tidal range here is 16 meters, or 54 feet (vertical difference between the low and the high tide).
The highest tide on record was in 1869: 21.6 meters, or 71 feet!
At low tide, all boats sit on the muddy bottom of the docks. Notice the plastic crates (called “cribs”) under the boats. They prevent the boats to sit on, and sink into the mud.
Low tide in Alma Bay. Notice the people walking the sea bottom on the left and in the distance.
The same view of the bay at high tide
The tide is in and the boats are now safely afloat, and many are already out to sea.
One more boat is rushing in on the incoming tide, bringing a rich lobster catch.
The boat crew pull plastic crates full of lobsters from the watery boat hold.
Lobsters are ready to be delivered to restaurants and markets.
How about this one?