Eric Demay

The coast along and around the Bay of Fundy is host to the largest tidal range in the world. The water will gush up over 25 ft only in a few hours. Its landscapes between high and low tides are a world apart, where underwater rock formations, plants and other sea-life suddenly reveal themselves, temporarily part of the mainland, in an explorable and dry state.

Knowing this, we didn’t hesitate to swing by on our way down Maine. Campobello Island has a lighthouse on the northern-most tip (East Quoddy Head), only accessible by foot at low ride. Walking among the slippery rocks covered in algae, I remembered the campground ranger’s warning: “The water will gush in at 5 feet an hour. That’s fast. So if you’re at the tip of the island and the water’s coming in, stay there. Don’t move. We lost 2 visitors last year.” Maybe they said that every year to make sure tourists don’t trap themselves. I didn’t look it up. In any case, the accessible time frame is short (2.5 hours) and you do feel like the seas have opened a very special passage for your visit.

These photographs are what I captured on our way to the lighthouse (at low-tide) with an approximation of how the water landscape transforms itself within a few hours time.