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Last weekend some friends and I went rafting through the rapids of the Shubenacadie River. The tides in the Bay of Fundy cause the highest tides in the world, which makes the water flow up rivers when the tide is rising which creates a tidal bore. What this does in the Shubenacadie River is cause some rough water and rapids. A small tourist industry has grown up around taking people in boats through the waves.
It’s a lot of fun. I’ve never done anything like that before and I had a great time. The water splashes over the boat, over you and into the boat. The ingenious design of the boats (Zodiacs, I believe) allows the water to flow out of the back of the boat. My arms were a bit sore from hanging on tight as we bounced around and went through the waves. The roughness of the ride depends on the tide and the time of year. Around this time of year is the best time…if you like the waves to be big. The tide is about 30 feet, which means that the water level of the river rises by 30 feet within a few hours.
You put on your rain gear, put on your personal floatation device and get into the boat and go up the river. The area is beautiful and when you’re not getting bounced around, you see some beautiful scenery. But the main attraction is the ride. The pilot goes through the waves up and down the river as the tide comes in. The best adjective to describe the experience is “wet” and the dominant taste is salt as you’re splashed constantly by the salty water from the sea. Even though I was a bit sore, I think that I’ll do it again sometime. The adrenaline rush was great!
