Moon & Tides

At the Hopewell Rocks, sea levels rise, on average, between 32 and 46 feet (10 and 14 metres).  The highest tide recorded was in the upper reaches of the bay (near Burnt Coat Head in Nova Scotia) where the tides can rise and fall over 50 feet (16 meters) in extreme circumstances.  This is the average height of a four story apartment building.

To compare, elsewhere in the world, an average tidal range is about 3 feet (one metre) or less.

Visitors to the Hopewell Rocks can quite literally watch the Bay of Fundy tide rise at a rate between 4 and 6 feet (1.5 to 2 metres) per hour as 100 billion tonnes of water flows into the bay twice daily.  

These high tides result from a combination of the gravitational force of the moon and the particular dimensions of the Bay of Fundy.  Together, these factors influence the mighty tides of Fundy, creating the highest tides in the world. 

Learn more about the moon and tides...

Learn more about why the Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world...