Fundy Shore, where Nova Scotia meets New Brunswick, about 80 mi/130 km north of Halifax, was home to the Mi'kmaq Native Americans. Along the Glooscap Trail route are several good spots to observe the dramatic tidal changes in the Bay of Fundy and Cobequid Bay—the world's highest tides (the water can rise and fall 52 ft/16 m). The accompanying tidal bore occurs when the tide forces a wall of water back up the streams and rivers that flow into the bays.
Joggins is famous for rock formations that contain thousands of prehistoric fossils. Time your visit to coincide with the Fossil Centre's two-hour guided tour of the fossil cliffs—daily, but at differing times, depending on the tides. Take Highway 209 southwest out of Joggins and follow the Fundy Shore Eco Tour scenic drive to see dramatic views of the Bay of Fundy.
Continue around to the coast of Minas Channel, taking time to see the lighthouse at Cap d'Or. Stop for refreshments at the lighthouse's tearoom or even spend the night at the lighthouse keeper's former residence. Hiking trails run through the surrounding area, and one of the province's newest provincial parks, Cape Chignecto, offers spectacular scenery.
In nearby Parrsboro, farther to the east, paleontologists discovered North America's largest cache of fossilized bones. The Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro displays an excellent collection of rocks and minerals as well as some of the bones. Those who want to start their own geological collection will find Parrsboro a great place for rock hunting: You'll find amethyst, agate and other minerals there. Just north of Parrsboro lies Springhill, where you can descend into a coal mine on an underground guided tour. The Anne Murray Centre, a tribute to this town's famous singer, can also be found there.
Pick up Highway 2 near Parrsboro and continue east. Five Islands Provincial Park, 15 mi/25 km east of Parrsboro, is an extraordinary sight when the tide is out—vast flats of exposed red sea bottom with five tree-covered pinnacles towering above the flats. Legend says the Mi'kmaq god Glooscap inhabited this part of the bay (in the Mi'kmaq language, Glooscap means joker). According to the legend, the five islands offshore are the rocks Glooscap threw at his enemy, the Beaver.
Truro, at the eastern end of the bay, offers one of the best views of the tidal bore, especially in autumn during a new or full moon, when tides are strongest. Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, a half-hour drive south of Truro, has many species of wild animals in a pleasant wilderness setting.
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