Bay of Fundy and Saint John’s tidal edge
Published on 08/15/2026 at 14:22 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Bay of Fundy is the Atlantic inlet between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and its shifting waterline is the place’s most visible feature. Near Saint John, that tidal edge meets the mouth of the Saint John River and the harbour around the city.
Fundy’s broad inlet and tidal reach
The bay stretches inland for 94 miles (151 km) and is 32 miles (52 km) wide at its entrance. Its best-known feature is the tidal range, which rises to about 70 feet (21 metres) in some parts of the bay.
That scale gives Bay of Fundy an unusual presence on maps and on the ground. The bay sits between two provinces, and its shoreline bends through coves, basins and river mouths rather than forming a single straight coast.inlet of the Atlantic Ocean
Saint John and the tidal mouth of the river
Saint John lies on the New Brunswick side of the bay, where the Saint John River meets Fundy waters. The rising tide produces the Reversing Falls at the river mouth, a well-known tidal feature linked to the city’s harbour edge.
The bay’s wider geography also includes Chignecto Bay to the north and Minas Basin to the east and south. Near Saint John, the shoreline belongs to the bay’s upper reaches, where tidal movement is strong enough to affect the river and nearby inlets.Reversing Fallstides of the bay
Rock, coast and deep time
The Fundy coast is known for steep shores, exposed rock and layered sedimentary cliffs. UNESCO describes the Cliffs of Fundy shore as a place of high tides, rugged coastline and a record of more than 600 million years of Earth history.
That long geological span is part of the appeal of the wider bay, not only the tide itself. On the New Brunswick side, the coast includes salt marshes, tidal mudflats and forests, while the geology ranges from old metamorphic rocks to much younger volcanic formations.Cliffs of FundyFundy biosphere
Visiting Bay of Fundy: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Saint John sits on the New Brunswick shore of the bay, and the shoreline can be reached from the city’s harbour area and river mouth.
- The coast around the city includes tidal water, rocky edges and the mouth of a large river. The Reversing Falls area belongs to that tidal setting.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
- The official language is English and the currency is the Canadian dollar.
Searching for Bay of Fundy on social platforms
These links open searches for Bay of Fundy on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Bay of Fundy
Where is Bay of Fundy?
Bay of Fundy lies between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on Canada’s Atlantic coast. Saint John sits on its New Brunswick side.
What does a visit involve?
It means a shoreline shaped by strong tides, a river mouth that reverses with the tide, and broad coastal scenery around the upper bay. The setting is tidal rather than sandy and still.
What makes Bay of Fundy distinctive?
The bay is known for its very large tidal range, which reaches about 70 feet (21 metres) in some places. Its coast also combines cliffs, marshes, mudflats and river mouths.
