Treasured Islands

WITH THEIR RUGGED CLIFFS AND QUIET BEACHES, squawking seabirds and abundant marine life, there are few places that feel so alive as the Fundy Isles – more than 25 small islands that play peek-a-boo amid the highest tides in the world.

“This is a place that has always been at the mercy of the weather and the tides,” says Abby Pond, executive director of the Charlotte Coastal Region Tourism Association, located on New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy. “Everything operates to their rhythms and demands.”

A collection of islands, some inhabited, the Fundy Isles are connected to mainland New Brunswick, and each other, by ferry. But while Canada may not be the first place you think of when considering an island-hopping adventure, this pristine archipelago packs in all the makings of a perfectly relaxed island getaway.

“Each of the islands is different in size, natural beauty and industry,” Pond says. From colourful history – including an historic U.S. presidential connection – to spectacular vistas, it’s easy and well worth visiting more than one.

Start with Deer Island, which is the smallest inhabited island in the cluster at just 45 square kilometres. Deer Island is connected directly to the mainland by ferry from L’Etete and is home to the largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere. As such, nature is an obvious draw, but so are the many quaint herring, lobster and salmon fishing villages dotted across the island.

Campobello Island (population 1,195) is home to East Quoddy, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world. This 70-square-kilometre island has another claim to fame: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife used to spend their summers here, and their former cottage remains open to the public. To access Campobello by car, enjoy a two-nation vacation and take the Roosevelt International Bridge from Lubec, Maine.

On Grand Manan Island, meanwhile, you can learn about the endangered North Atlantic right whale and other native marine life at the non-profit whale and seabird research station, sleep in the lightkeeper’s house at one of the few remaining wooden lighthouses in the country, or simply soak up the sun on a sandy beach in Anchorage Provincial Park.

For a unique island excursion, visitors can reach Ministers Island by walking, biking or driving by car across the ocean floor when the tide is low.

As a tidal island, it is unique in that it’s connected to the mainland by a gravel bar that dries above the sea for approximately six hours twice per day,” explains Brian Usher, Ministers Island’s acting executive director. Once you set foot on the island, he says, it’s a “step back in time” that offers visitors a glimpse not only into recent Maritime history, but back to 500 BC, when the Passamaquoddy First Nations were the island’s only inhabitants.

More recently, the island was the summer home of Sir William Van Horne, the American train visionary who oversaw the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885, linking Canadians from coast to coast. He purchased part of the island in 1890 and built Covenhoven a 50-room estate on a 500-acre parcel of land. Strolling through its gardens, some dating back to the late 1800s, is among Usher’s top recommendations for visitors to Ministers Island.

Even if all this appeals, avoid putting too much on your to-do list. The natural pace and serenity of the islands dictate a more leisurely schedule, one in which you can spare some time to chat with the locals. “Almost every person living there has an interesting story to tell and can relate the history of buildings, shipwrecks and survival,” Pond says.

“Time has a different quality here, set by the weather and the tides,” she adds, explaining what makes these islands so appealing. “Everything works on a slower pace and rhythm, which gives people time to truly interact with each other and with nature.”

So whether you’re meandering along coastal trails or heading out for a paddle, feel free to just relax and follow the island’s laid-back vibe. As Pond puts it, “The only time to rush is if you’re late to catch the boat.”

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