Bay of Fundy is an extension of the North Atlantic Ocean that divides New Brunswick from western Nova Scotia. The bay is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) wide at its mouth. It reaches inland about 150 miles (240 kilometers), where it separates into Chignecto Bay and Minas Basin. The upper part of the bay is famous for its tides, which are among the highest in the world. These tides rise and fall over a range that is sometimes greater than 50 feet (15 meters). Such massive water movement, combined with accumulation of sediment through erosion, has built up large salt marshes that serve as a feeding station for migrating shore birds. The lower Fundy also is a feeding ground for marine life, including whales.
Braving the hazards of high tides and fog, European settlers began to arrive at the Bay of Fundy area in the early 1600’s. Today, the area’s economy includes fisheries for clams, herring, lobster, and scallops; livestock farming; lumber production; mining; shipbuilding; and tourism. In 1984, a 20,000-kilowatt hydroelectric generator was installed near the Nova Scotian town of Annapolis Royal in an attempt to harness the power of the bay’s mighty tides. In 1985, scientists working in the upper Fundy found rare dinosaur fossils estimated to be 200 million years old.
