A tidal bore is when the front of the incoming tide forms waves of water as it travels up a river against the direction of the river’s current. Truro, at the far end of the Bay of Fundy tidal system, has just such a tidal bore, and it was 10 minutes from my campground, so off I went one morning to see what was going to happen.
The photo below is the Salmon River about 15 minutes before the tidal bore. Looks fine, the water is meandering westward towards the Bay.
And then it happened. One of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. The power of water. There’s a leading wave and then just this massive onslaught of water.
It was so cool to watch that I went the next day to South Maitland, and watch the tidal bore come up the Shubenacadie River, the longest one in Nova Scotia. Here are two before and after pictures. The first is the supports for a long-ago railroad bridge. Note the curves on the right side, and how far the water rose. In 10 minutes. Wow!
And this is the new highway bridge, before and after the tidal bore. Note the piling on the right and how quickly the water rose around it in 10 minutes time.
The Bay of Fundy tides are wondrous things, controlled by the moon and, to a lesser degree, the sun. It leaves me in awe, once again, of the power of water and the objects in our solar system.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
Albert Einstein
Great series on the Bay of Fundy! You are making me want to go there.
So right about the power of water!