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| Overlooking the protected area |
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| Nicely designed visitor center |
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| Cute |
I arrive just in time for a guided tour, and get first hand experience on how to spot and identify fossils, and I am hooked instantly. After, I walk down the beach on my own and explore some more.
We are warned to stay away from the cliffs as rocks can fall off unexpectedly, and I have seen it happening while walking along. Also we get instructed to keep an eye on the incoming tide. Yep, fossil hunting is a dangerous sport.
Here a few examples of what's lying around. One is allowed to touch but not move or take away findings. All quite exciting if you are me...
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| Petrified bark |
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| Traces of an ancient centipede |
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| Tree in situ |
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| Piece of log |
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| Roots in situ |
With every tidal change and weather change more fossils will be exposed through erosion. And every day new species of flora and fauna from ancient life will be discovered, determined and catalogued.
Moving on... after a quick lunch break including free wifi at the visitor center the bike is ready to go around the bay. I am now leaving Nova Scotia, and re-entering New Brunswick. Out of curiosity I went down the main street of Moncton but there was nothing there really catching my eye.
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| Old water tower |
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| Feeling Top Gun |
Today's journey ends at the opposite of the bay at New Brunswick's major tourist attraction: The Hopewell Rocks. I find a (fairly run down) motel of the same name, it is reasonably cheap, and adjacent to the park entrance, giving me the opportunity to visit the bizarre looking rock formations a.k.a. flower pots at high tide. The park is open to visitors around the clock and can be entered at their own risk, however during daytime it cost a fee.
Warning signs explain the dangers of falling rocks and tides changing. Due to the funnel shape of the bay the tidal range is almost 10m (30ft). I enter at my own risk, to get a closer look of the oddly shaped structures. It's quiet, and there is only one other visitor around.
As I track my way back I discover that the tide has begun to cut off my path. A well, my boots are waterproof, no problem, but I understand now how one can get in trouble by the tide when not paying attention.
The setting sun creates an explosion of colours at the opposite coast. Another great day comes to an end. (And the weather played along nicely for a change, it was a bit nippy, but dry and sunny.)
All secondary roads today, it took awhile to get around the bay.
***
HIER gibt's wieder die deutsche Fassung.
I like the flower pot formations! I'm not a big fossil fan, weird since I was a History major in college (well, that was the last of five majors I "entertained" while in college).
ReplyDeleteSince you like fossils so much, when you come to Colorado to visit, we can go to two major places in the state known for their fossil collections.
Sounds like a plan, Dom. Come for the fossils, stay for the ride? I am a big fan of geology, geomorphology, and all fossils.
DeleteThat looks like a great area to explore. It makes me wonder how much stuff has been lost to the ocean...
ReplyDeleteRichard, stuff has been lost to erosion, ocean or otherwise but also simply through mining. There was coal mining in the area, and the fossils inside the coal were going through the chimney.
DeleteWow! Touring on a motorcycle, stunning scenery AND being educated at the same time - doesn't get any better, does it?? What's the story with the Voodoo fighter? I didn't know that the Canadian Air Forced used them way back when. Saw them flying from USAF air bases in the UK in the 60's - that takes me back!
ReplyDeleteLoving your tour Sonja!
Thanks Geoff, I very much like that combination ;-)
DeleteInformation I found about the voodoo fighter:
101028 CF-101B Voodoo McDonnell Ex USAF s/n 57-346, F-101B-90-MC. With No. 425 Squadron, dates not known. With No. 416 All Weather Fighter Squadron, CFB Bagotville, PQ and later at CFB Chatham, NB. Flew in 1982 squadron demonstration team, the Bobcats. Made this unit's first daylight interception of a USSR Bear in July 1984. Became Instructional Airframe 831 B on 13 August 1984. Static display at Preservation Park, Hillsborough, NB.
I believe the Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world, due to its funnel shape, so seeing the difference between extremes is really amazing. Did you get to see the Hopewell Rocks at low tide as well?
ReplyDeleteDave, that's about right, I guess. Of course I did visit the Flower Pots at low tide. Posting coming up any minute now.
DeleteWell, Ed. I do both, some research ahead, not to miss out on the "usual suspects" of tourist attractions, as well as checking with the local visitor centres, and talking to other travellers or my hosts. And depending on time and interested I re-plan my route.
ReplyDeleteVery cool. I'm glad you were not trapped by the tide!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on all of the posting. It's been a fun ride.
Thanks, Kathy. It sure was.
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