A Walk on the Ocean Floor!

Day 8
Just as we hoped, it was a calm morning, and a little sunshine peeked through the clouds and gave us a beautiful view from the front window of our motorhome.
At the site of Hopewell Rocks, we walked down a stairway of 100 steep steps to get to the bottom and step onto  the ocean floor!  It was muddy, but amazing to think we were walking on the sea floor.  As we descended the stairs, there was a sign telling you when you have to be back up, or risk getting caught in the returning tide! This is an area that has the worlds highest tides.  When the tide goes out, tall structures and columns are exposed. They are bizarre and awe-inspiring sandstone erosions known as “the giant flowerpots” carved by melting glaciers, then sculpted by the Bay of Fundy tides.  What an amazing display of nature at work!  As you walk across the surface, it’s hard to believe the area will be covered in water in just a few hours.   The Hopewell rocks were dubbed the flowerpot rocks by Ripley (of Ripley's Believe it or Not), who visited the area and wrote about them describing them as large vases or flowerpots.
 Here’s a view at low tide and one at high tide (in the rain!)

Our guide Megan led us through the coves and described the structures, and even told us about the seaweed that was covering some of the rocks.  The little bubble-like things are filled with water that help the seaweed stand up when it is in the water!  Several in the group tasted the seaweed! (not me, and not Jim) Around here they make a “snack” called Dolce from the seaweed.  You can buy it in the stores and people think is great! (not me and not Jim). 
Jim crawled up into one of the sea caves to check it out.






 I did some studying on blog work last night and since I learned how to embed a video, I’m going to include one here that our guide showed that shows a time lapse of the tide coming in and retreating around the rocks…pretty amazing! 




This afternoon we visited Cape Enrage, the site of a lighthouse that has been around for 150 years.  The lighthouse is still active, but was automated in the 70’s. It emits a green flash every 6 seconds which is visible for 11 nautical miles.
We walked down to the “beach” below the lighthouse, (another 100 steps), and found the beach to be completely covered with large rocks, and a little precarious, as the rocks moved around as you walk along. (That’s Jim standing by the water in the first pic) 
My fitbit registered 45 floors today!  I’ve walked to the ocean floor and back twice today!