Tides at The Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The bay is known for having the highest tidal range in the world. Because of the unique shape of the bay, the difference in water level between high tide and low tide can be as much as 48 feet (14 meters). During each tide cycle, more than 100 billion tonnes of seawater flows in and out of the Bay of Fundy which is more than the combined flow of the world’s freshwater rivers. Bay of Fundy experiences one high and one low tide twice a day. It takes on average 6 hours and 13 minutes for low tide to grow into a high tide and another 6 hours and 13 minutes for the water level to drop from high tide to low tide. This frequency gives each visitor a chance to see at least one high and one low tide during the daylight hours any time of year. The immense energy of the tides stir up nutrients from the ocean floor, the mud flats and salt water marshes, providing an abundance of food for the birds, whales, fish and bottom dwellers of the ocean. This highly productive, rich and diverse natural ecosystem has shaped the environment, the economy and the culture of the Fundy region. The effect of the world’s highest tides on the Bay’s shores has created dramatic cliffs and awesome sea stacks. The red sandstone and volcanic rock have been worn away to reveal fossils from over 300 million years ago. Composite photo showing difference in water level during low tide and high tide. Photo credit Why are the Bay of Fundy Tides the Highest? The average tidal range of all oceans around the globe is 1 meter (3ft), so how can the tidal difference in the Bay of Fundy reach up to 16 meters? This tidal phenomena exists because the bay has a few distinct features: a substantial amount of water and a unique shape and size that causes resonance.