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The Oceans Surrounding The Bay Of Fundy, Canada

This months article series will discuss the Bay Of Fundy, Canada! The Bay of Fundy is is a body of water separating New Brunswick from Nova Scotia, & rests along the Atlantic Ocean.


The Bay is best known for having the highest tidal range in the world, meaning the largest difference between the low & high tide. The tide in the bay of fundy is enormous, being at least 52 feet high, possibly higher.


The bay is theorized to be corrupted from the French word “fendu”, meaning split. The Bay of Fundy began forming 250 million years ago, & fully formed approximately 190 million years ago. It is currently filled with treacherous rapids, & beautiful rocky landscapes.


The bay has an area of roughly 6,178 square miles (16000.95 square kilometers). The bay can get 787.402 feet (240 meters) deep, & is teeming with marine life.


The Bay Of Fundy has many, many different ecosystems ranging from cold-water estuaries, to crashing rocky shorelines. Along with these, the bay is littered with sea caves that flood when the tide rises. In these caves, thousands of fossils from 300 million years ago lie. It is for this reason, that the Bay of Fundy is not only a UNESCO Global Geopark, but a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


A stunning photograph of the coastline of the Bay of Fundy during lowtide. Credit to World Atlas.
A stunning photograph of the coastline of the Bay of Fundy during lowtide. Credit to World Atlas.

In addition to the high tides of the bay, the bay houses the second-largest whirlpool in the Northern Hemisphere. The Old Sow whirlpool is located near deer island in the southwestern area of the Bay of Fundy. It is caused by the waters of the Passamoquoddy Bay & the Bay Of Fundy meeting, combined with the oceanic floor. These 2 currents together form a large whirlpool that is 20 feet deep.


Unfortunately, as of 2025, the Bay of Fundy is not a designated marine protected area by the Canadian Government, Even though the bay is a migrational zone for a few critically endangered whale species.


In this article, we will discuss the tides, temperatures, salinity, marine geography, & basic information of The Bay of Fundy, The most prominent Marine Ecosystems in the Bay Of Fundy, The Documented Marine Flora & Fauna in the Bay of Fundy, & finally how Ocean Acidification & rising oceanic tempuratures are affecting the Bay Of Fundy, with that being said, let us delve into the split bay. 


The Salinity, Temperatures, Tides, Marine Geography, & Basic Information Of The Bay Of Fundy

The salinity in the Bay of Fundy fluctuates depending on which area of the bay you are measuring. The salinity ranges from 20 parts per thousand to 32.5 parts per thousand in the southern areas. Salinity is measured in 1,000-gram water samples. For every 1,000 grams of water, there will be a certain number of grams that are pure salt. This is the way that salinity is currently measured.


The oceanic temperature charts can be found on a plethora of websites, including but not limited to: https://seatemperature.info, https://seatemperatures.net,  https://www.watertemperature.org, https://www.watertemp.org, & https://www.tideschart.com. The average yearly oceanic temperature in the Bay of Fundy is 48.26449999999992713 Fahrenheit (9.0358333333333 Celsius). Considering this average temperature, an 8 millimeters thick semi-drysuit or a fully drysuit is recommended for swimming or oceanic sports.


The tidal charts can be found on similar websites, a few of which are: https://www.tidetime.org, https://www.tideschart.com, https://www.tide-forecast.com, & https://tidechecker.com. 


The Bay of Fundy is famed for being the place on earth where the tide is highest. Occasionally, the tide will get 52 feet (16.1544 meters) or higher. Rip currents are not common, & usually aren’t life-threatening, but there are whirlpools. The bay is safe for swimming, though it is often very cold & there are dangerous whirlpools. The coast is very interesting to explore, & is coveted amongst wildlife enthusiasts. Scuba diving is still popular, as the rocky ocean floor houses a unique array of marine fauna. Certain divers even rank the Bay of Fundy as high as the prized Great Barrier Reef.


The most popular place to dive is off the coast of Deer Island, which is a small island accessible by ferry. Kayaking is popular as well, though it is much more dangerous due to high waves & whirlpools. Kayaking should be done with a high amount of caution, but it is still an enjoyable experience.


The Bay of Fundy is relatively unpolluted & is safe for swimmers, but in certain areas there is mild chemical contamination. The bay gets as deep as 731.6 feet in certain areas, & is shallower on average the further upstream you go.


Some of the highest esteemed beaches along the Bay Of Fundy are Long Beach, Browns Beach, Mac’s Beach, St. Martins Beach, Melvins Beach, Cape Chigneto, Beach Meadows Beach Park, Conrad’s Beach, Blue Beach, & Blue Sea Beach.


Unfortunately, despite the bay holding nationally acclaimed treasures, the bay has yet to become a marine protected area. 


The Most Prominent Marine Ecosystems In The Bay Of Fundy


Ecosystem Type No. 1: Underwater Caves

Underwater Caves are extremely common along The Bay Of Fundy, due to the massive rock structures in the late. Some caves are partially submerged, so that one can kayak through them. If a kayaker decides to do this, they should keep track of time, as when the tide rises, leaving will be nearly impossible. These tides often have fish, & occasionally nesting eels. Certain species of nesting eels like to nest in caves to protect their elvers. These caves will typically have shellfish, & anemones attached to the walls as well. Overall, they are an extremely interesting ecosystem to see, & are a fascinating place to explore. 


A photograph of Saint Martins Sea Caves, along the Bay of Fundy, during low tide. Credit to user untrustworthyfart.
A photograph of Saint Martins Sea Caves, along the Bay of Fundy, during low tide. Credit to user untrustworthyfart.


Ecosystem Type No. 2: Rocky Reefs

Rocky reefs are similar to coral reefs, in that they are essentially a hub for oceanic life. They usually have interesting rock formations, that work similarly to holes in coral, in that they both provide protection from predators. These rocky reefs are usually less biodiverse though, & are usually in deeper areas of the ocean. These reefs are usually more intricate as well, as they usually have fish living inside of them, & tunnel systems. These types of ecosystems are usually found the furthest offshore. 


Ecosystem Type No. 3: Saltwater Estuarine Marshlands

One of the most prominent ecological features of The Bay Of Fundy are the Saltwater Estuaries. Now, some may consider the entirety of the bay an estuary, but there are only certain areas that are designated as such. A large feature of these estuaries is the marshlands. These saltwater estuaries often are the areas with the most amount of seagrass, & are extremely important to waterfowl, fish spawning, & fish in general.   The most common seagrass species to make up this type of ecosystem is Zostera Marina (Common Eelgrass / Seawrack).


The Documented Marine Flora In The Bay Of Fundy

The most common marine flora species in the Bay of Fundy is believed to be Zostera Marina (Common Eelgrass / Seawrack). It is characterized by its bright green colour, & thin blades. They generally have 1 long stem that averages at 1 meter (3.28084 feet) long. The stem is often between 0.5 (0.19685 inches) & 1 centimeter (0.393701 inches) thick. This one is the one most often found on the coast as it grows along muddy & sandy shorelines.


This seagrass is also most commonly found in marshes, which is most likely why it is such a popular food among wading birds. It also shields rocks from the currents, thus preventing the currents from affecting coastal buildings & shorelines, & supports fish nurseries.


The Documented Fauna In The Bay Of Fundy

Unfortunately, there is no compilation of the marine fauna found in the bay, which makes it hard to determine the biodiversity of the bay. The bay is known to be a summer migrational zone for the critically endangered Northern Atlantic Right Whale, which has an estimated population of 350.


Apart from the Northern Atlantic Right Whale, the bay’s most prominent marine creatures include Balaenoptera Acutorostrata (Common Minke Whales), Balaenoptera Physalus (Fin Whale), Phocena Phocena (Harbour Porpoise), Urticina Felina (Dahlia Anemones), Megaptera Novaeangliae (Humpback Whales), Phoca Vitulina Concolor (Harbour Seals), Halichoerus Grypus (Gray Seals), Pollachius Pollachius (Atlantic Pollack), Scomber Scomberus (Atlantic Mackerel), & finally, Melanogrammus Aeglefinus (Haddock).


How Ocean Acidification & Rising Oceanic Temperatures Are Affecting The Bay Of Fundy

Ocean acidification is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, largely because of human-caused burning of fossil fuels, & deforestation, for the past 150 years. 


When carbon dioxide contacts seawater, it forms carbonic acid.  Carbonic acid gives off positively charged hydrogen ions, which causes increased oceanic positive ion concentrations & decreased oceanic pH. When the ocean has decreased pH, it effectively acidifies.


When this occurs, it causes conditions that will eat at the shells of bivalves, & cause fish spawn to become less energetic. This depletes & eventually cripple populations of various species. Thankfully, oceanic acidification, & rising oceanic temperatures have yet to affect the Bay Of Fundy.


However, rising oceans have. The rising oceans have increased the flood factor along the coastline of the Bay of Fundy. In addition, the coastline is creeping up along the shore, which will eventually flood coastal properties. If this is not watched closely by oceanic scientists, & climate scientists alike, destruction is inevitable.


Directories / Credits


Citation No. 1: “Important Marine & Estuarine Habitat Of Inner Bay Of Fundy”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By the Center for Science Advice, Fisheries & Oceans Of Canada. Retrieval Date: November 2nd, 2023. 


Citation No. 2: “Wetsuit thickness and temperature guide, Written by Mark Evans, & Published on April 24th, 2023, at 3:05 PM. Published By Scuba Divers Magazine. Retrieval Date: November 2nd,  2023.


Citation No. 3: “Fundy’s Watery Wastes?: Pollution in the Bay Of Fundy”, Written By Unknown & Published in Autumn of 1996. Published by the Bay Of Fundy Ecosystem Project. Retrieval Date: November 2nd, 2023. 


Citation No. 4: “Top Five Bay Of Fundy Beaches”, Written By Beth Winkle, & Published on April 5th, of 2023. Published by the Beach Street Inn. Retrieval Date: November 2nd, 2023. 


Citation No. 5: “Beach Access Parks Bay Of Fundy & Annapolis Valley”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Nova Scotia Parks. Retrieval Date: November 2nd, 2023. 


Citation No. 6: “Beaches In The Bay Of Fundy & Annapolis Valley Of Nova Scotia”, Written By the Editors of Trip Advisor, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By TripAdvisor. Retrieval Date: November 2nd, 2023. 


Citation No. 7: “From coast to coast to coast: ecology & management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada”, Written By Grace E.P Murphy, Jillian C. Dunic, Emily M. Adamczyck, Sarah J. Bittick, Isabelle M. Côté, John Cristiani, Emilie A. Geissinger, & Robert S. Gregory, & Published on February 11th of 2011. Published By Facets Journal. Retrieval Date: November 2nd, 2023.  


Citation No. 8: “Whales” Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Bay Of Fundy. Retrieval Date: November 3rd, 2023. 


Citation No. 9: “Northern Atlantic Right Whale” Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Retrieval Date: November 3rd, 2023. 


Citation No. 10: “Marine Life” Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Bay of Fundy. Retrieval Date: November 3rd, 2023. 


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