I am beginning to think that the sun doesn’t shine very often here in St. John.  It was foggy when I drove through here on Friday, July 20th (when I was on my way to Moncton), foggy and raining yesterday when I got here, foggy today, fog and rain predicted tomorrow and the next day.  And, I am not talking about the foggy conditions like we get in Florida where we wake up to fog that burns off as the sun heats the air.  It lasts all day here!  I was reading up on this and found an article on point that states:

“The most conspicuous weather condition produced by the Bay of Fundy is fog. Thick, damp, murky fog that can chum and wisp across the shores to permeate the lands and forests for miles. The fog is formed when warm, moist air moves off the land and over the cold Fundy waters. As the air cools, it condenses to form millions of microscopic water droplets in the air. Indeed, Saint John, New Brunswick is officially Canada’s second-most foggy city (the dubious top honor going to St. John’s, Newfoundland).”

Despite the fog, Chloe and I set out to see the Reversing Falls.  I checked the tide times and found high tide to occur at 12:30 this afternoon so we drove over (it was only a seven minute drive but a 38 minute walk and I didn’t want to carry Chloe home).   The reversing falls are a unique phenomenon created by the collision of the Bay of Fundy and the Saint John River. At low tide the river empties into the bay causing a series of rapids and whirlpools. As tides rise they slow the river current for a brief period called slack tide. The Bay’s tides continue to rise, gradually reversing the flow of the river, and rapids form again, peaking at high tide. Tide cycles take about 12.5 hours.

It was amazing to see.  But, still pictures don’t do it justice so I found a beautiful video…

We explored the nearby park for almost two hours and then went back to the hotel for about an hour so Chloe could take a nap.  We then decided to explore “Centre St. John” and, since we are staying in this area, we walked.

The misty air was a crisp 62 degrees as we strolled along the promenade, stopping at one of the restaurants (under those blue canopies as seen above) for a New Brunswick white wine and P.E.I. mussels steamed in garlic, lemon, and white wine.  Chloe had a burger from the kid’s menu, no bun, but she did eat some of the cole slaw and fries that came with it.  (I ate the rest.)

So, we are leaving Canada tomorrow and are headed south back to Florida.  With still three weeks left in my road trip, for the most part, on the way back south, we will be driving along the coast and will be visiting friends and relatives along the way.  We’ve enjoyed these three Canadian provinces:  New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia.  The spectacular scenery, unusual tidal phenomena, many, many pet-friendly parks, hotels, and restaurants, amazing country music stations, delectable seafood all made this piece of my trip not only worthwhile but made me discover other sites I would like to see.  But, I am happy to be returning to the good old U.S.A. tomorrow.  At least I’ll be able to watch Fox News on television instead of streaming it on my computer.