Sunday, August 7, 2016

The Sea Caves of St. Martins, New Brunswick

August 1, 2016

My daughter, Kris, flew into Bangor, Maine and then drove to my trailer.  We spent the following afternoon enjoying Lubec, Maine and Campobello Island, New Brunswick.

The following day we drove almost across the width of New Brunswick to Moncton, stopping for a couple of explorations.  The sea caves were my favorite. The tides there differ by some thirty feet.

We arrived about an hour after low tide and saw the first cave.



As we walked towards the cliff, I could see another cave along the same face of the cliff.



The caves are larger than they first look.



And once inside, one can see the watermarks and the plant growth on the wall that is covered by high tides.




We kept walking and went around a point and came to a huge field, later to be an inlet, with caves on its walls.



Some caves seemed to be in the making.




The field was to the left of this picture but one could also keep walking along the beach where the people, in the picture below, are heading are heading.



The tide was just starting to turn as we squeezed by the water on the path.




Water was coming in from both sides of the island and meeting in the middle behind it. I had to stop a few minutes  on the way out to enjoy it.  Then we proceeded to go past it and immediately turn left.




This is from around the point and back in.




This view was on our left while the last picture was of a view to our right.  I was amazed at this fallen tree, which was still somehow holding on.





The red cliffs just kept getting prettier as the sun got lower in the sky. 




The view across the seaweed covered boulders in front of the big field was also lovely.



Way in the back of the field, the seaweed had attached to the sides and tops of the caves and hung down like stalactites.







We started back, walking carefully over the occasional steep or slippery places and stopping to take more pictures.  The water at high tide will be over five times higher than this woman is tall.  The numbers of people around us diminished rapidly and soon we were all alone.




Almost back to the front of the field.




I had to take a picture of a couple setting up on the point to take a selfie.




And one more of the top of the cliff to our left.




Then we came around the point and found that the water had covered the place where I watched the tides come in around the island, and the island itself had almost disappeared. Kris wanted me to try to climb a steep rock, but I couldn't, so waded in, stopping to quickly grab my billfold out of my pocket as the water reached my shorts. But the next step was shallower and in another six steps of so, I was able to get back on land and go back and help Kris get up the steep rock. We got the rest of the way to the car without incident.



I looked back to watch this group staying on the near side of the point and watching the tide come it.



The sun was almost ready to set behind clouds when we got back to our car.  I think we were a little over two hours past low tide when we almost got caught by  the incoming tide. So do be sure to find the window and be sure to get back out in time.

And for you paddlers: You can go on a kayak tour all the way around the point to a river.  That should be an interesting and beautiful trip.





I'm way behind on editing pictures but Kris and I had a great time in St. Andrews on the way over and both girls and I had a wonderful day in Halifax on Wednesday and a touring day along the south of Nova Scotia on Thursday.


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