Tuesday 3 February 2015

Interesting Facts About Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy, located between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada, is famous for its incredibly high tides and spectacular geological formations like the Flowerpot Rocks and sea caves. Find out some interesting facts about the Bay of Fundy.

The Bay of Fundy is a northern temperate, macrotidal environment forming the northeastern extension of the Gulf of Maine, and has been utilized by humans (and wildlife) for millennia. Overall, the Bay extends approximately 250 km in a northeasterly direction between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and its uppermost region is divided into two distinctive bodies of water Chignecto Bay in New Brunswick and Cumberland Basin and Minas Basin in Nova Scotia.          
     
The name "Fundy" is thought to date back to the 16th century, when the Portuguese referred to the bay as "Rio Fundo" or "deep river". The highest tides and spectacular destination on Earth occur in the eastern extremity of the Bay of Fundy, where the range approaches 17 meters (56 feet) when the various factors affecting the tides are in phase. More than one hundred billion kilograms (110*109 tons) of water flow into and out of the bay on an average tide, twice a day, creating a substantial potential supply of energy.

  • The Bay of Fundy is home to the world’s highest tides and each day 100 billion tonnes of water flow in and drain out the equivalent to the total amount of water contained in all of the rivers on the planet.
  • 12 species of whales use the bay as a feeding ground, nursery and play area (including the endangered North American Right Whale) because of its abundant food and protection the Bay provides.
  • Whale watching season runs June-October, with August being the “best” month for sightings.
  • Famed for its National Parks, UNESCO sites, national historical sites, outstanding provincial parks, and provincial museums.
  • "Fundy" is a corruption of the French word "fendu", meaning "split", while others believe it comes from the Portuguese "fondo", meaning "funnel".
  • The International Hydrographic Organization defines the southwest limit of the Bay of Fundy as "A line running northwesterly from Cape St. Mary (44°05'N) Nova Scotia, through Machias Seal Island (67°06'W) and on to Little River Head (44°39'N) in the State of Maine.


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