We’re visiting lots of Saints! St. Andrews, St. John & St. Stephen, in New Brunswick, Canada

After leaving the United States following a visit to Acadia National Park, we drove northeast and soon crossed into Canada’s Maritime Provinces. This region in eastern Canada includes New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, and is known for its coastal scenery, European historical background, and diverse culture. The first stop was St. Andrews by the Sea, which extends on a peninsula into the Bay of Fundy. The town displays significant British influence, as is indicated by street names such as Prince of Wales Street, William Street, Queen Street, King Street, and Edward Street—all referencing members of the British monarchy. St. Andrews was originally settled by British Loyalists who left Massachusetts to avoid persecution at the end of the American Revolutionary War.

We had the most amazing campsite on the shores of Passamaquoddy Bay which is an inlet off the Bay of Fundy, between Maine and New Brunswick. And our campsite faced the Bay. This was truly a spectacular sight for watching the sea.  Some days the bay was totally socked in with fog. From our campsite we could not see the ocean 200 feet away. Other days we could see 6-7 miles across the bay to Mascarene, New Brunswick. There were a number of very warm days, but in the afternoon the winds would turn onshore, really cooling down the camper but making it a little too windy to eat outdoors.

From this campsite, we observed the phenomenon of astronomical tides at the Bay of Fundy. The tides in the Bay of Fundy fluctuate by nearly 53 feet within a 6.4-hour period between low and high tide. This significant tidal variation results from the bay's distinctive funnel shape and its resonance with oceanic tides. These tidal ranges are regarded as the greatest in the world and present an impressive natural spectacle on a daily basis. On one afternoon during low tide, we traversed toward the center of Passamaquoddy Bay. The receding shoreline revealed a rocky seabed extending approximately three-quarters of a mile from land. The walk was challenging, marked by uneven rocks, anchored seaweed, and occasional jellyfish. Although we did not reach the furthest visible point, we advanced far enough into the bay that GPS coordinates indicated our position in open water.

 

If the astronomical tides in the bay haven’t caught your interest, consider this: we crossed to Ministers Island via a sand bar exposed only for about four hours at low tide. Ministers Island was originally owned by Sir William Van Horne, who was president of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. The estate is magnificent and includes a chateau style barn, which Van Horne used to breed Clydesdale horses. The manor home has been remarkably restored and preserved, and there is also a stone observation point and the remnants of a salt-water bath house.  We visited one evening to enjoy a small venue concert of Fiddle & Follk music. Once over, we had to make a beeline for the exit road so as not to get stuck on the island when the road got swallowed up by the incoming tide.

Bar Road, St Andrews leading to Ministers Island at Low Tide

 We dedicated considerable time to exploring S.t Andrews on foot. As a compact and easily navigable community, it was well-suited for walking. Adjacent to the campsite lies the Van Horne Walking Trail, an extensive network spanning nearly three miles, featuring notable points such as Pagan Point Nature Preserve and Katy’s Cove Beach. We traversed this trail multiple times and consistently varied our return routes to the campsite.

Judy at Katy's Cove Beach

Steven in Pagan Point Nature Preserve

We did travel beyond the town of St Andrews. We found several other towns and hamlets, also beginning with the designation of St., to be equally noteworthy and entertaining to visit. So, let’s begin in no particular order. 

           St. George is located a short distance northeast of our position, and we planned to observe the run-of-the-river hydroelectric dam on the Magaguadavic River. (This type of power plant operates using the river's flow rather than storing water in large reservoirs.) The viewing area and fish bypass windows were closed due to renovations. However, across from the dam, the Ducks Unlimited Walking Trail was accessible. We walked along the Marsh Trail around Ducks Unlimited Marsh and returned. During the walk, an Osprey was observed flying from its nest to a tall tree in the marsh.

 

             St. Stephen is situated a short distance southwest of St. Andrews and is home to the Ganong Nature Park. This impressive 350-acre property offers views of the confluence of the St. Croix River and St. Croix Island. The park features numerous walking trails; visitors can enjoy a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon hiking to a scenic overlook of Oak Bay.

Atop the overlook after hiking up Ganong Nature Park, St. Stephen, NB

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        St. John is located an hour north by car. As a vibrant port city on the Bay of Fundy, it is renowned for its rich history and harmonious blend of traditional charm with contemporary conveniences. Being one of Canada's oldest incorporated cities, St. John continues to experience significant development. The city features a convention center, Town Square, Town Market, and the unique Area 506—a waterfront destination built from shipping containers. Area 506 includes retail shops, a performance venue, a waterfront container lounge, food trucks, public art installations, and pop-up activities. Our visit began here, where we met our tour guide, Pete, for the St. John’s 2½-hour walking tour. Pete was an amazing tour guide. Really knowledgeable primarily because he owned and operated a Pub in the downtown area for many years. He knew everybody and provided both historic and current information on the city. The tour led us away from the water, uphill through the city on a pleasant morning, and concluded with lunch at Market Square.

The visit to St. Andrews by the Sea was included in an itinerary featuring locations previously visited in August 2017. Multiple stops on this trip return to places from that earlier 10-day, 1,400-mile journey. During that time, Judy and I discussed retirement and considered traveling the country in an RV, despite having no prior experience with camping or RVs. This trip went so well, it was perfect.  It was everything we expected and oh so much more. I can honestly say that after that trip Judy and I were hooked on the RV lifestyle. We had only one regret. The trip was too SHORT!  We wanted more time. We effectively addressed that issue during this trip by scheduling an extended visit. We are now proceeding to another familiar destination from our 2017 travels—Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. This leg of the trip involves taking a ferry from St. John, across the Bay of Fundy, to Digby, Nova Scotia. From Digby, it is a short drive to Yarmouth, where we will stay at a campsite we previously enjoyed during our 2017 visit. That’s a story to be told in my next blog post as we tell… the Rest of the Story.