A Little Bit About New Brunswick
New Brunswick, the largest of Canada's three Maritime provinces, is nestled under Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula
and beside the State of Maine. Its northern border also includes the Restigouche River and the Baie des Chaleurs.
The eastern boundary is entirely coastal - the Gulf of St Lawrence and Northumberland Strait - and delightfully
dotted with warm, sandy beaches...the warmest salt water north of Virginia.
Chignecto Bay and the 24-kilometre (15-mile) wide Isthmus of Chignecto, which connects New Brunswick to Nova Scotia,
form part of New Brunswick's southern border.
The rest of it is the Bay of Fundy. Its tides - the highest and wildest in the world - have carved a spectacular
coastline (see Fundy National
Parks Hopewell Cape Rocks!). New Brunswick is also connected to Prince
Edward Island by the world-famous Confederation Bridge.
Location
Bordering on Nova Scotia, Quebec and the American state of Maine, New Brunswick is almost rectangular in shape,
about 322 kilometres tall and 242 kilometres wide. It is the most westerly of the Maritime Provinces, that border
on the Atlantic Ocean. The province borders on the Bay of Fundy, which funnels the tides in an unusual manner,
creating the world's most extreme tides, measuring over 14 metres (48 feet). The province is also home to the famous
Reversing Falls, that change direction with the tides! The province uses Atlantic Time, as do the other maritime
Provinces (except Newfoundland). There are ferry connections between Saint John and southern Nova Scotia. Note:
some people often confuse the names of Saint John (singular) New Brunswick with St. John's (possessive) Newfoundland
Grand Lake
The largest natural lake is Grand Lake, which is only 2 m (7 ft) above sea
level, even though it is more than 70 km (43 mi) from the open sea. Grand Lake is one of the most beautiful wildlife
rich lakes in the Maritimes. It boast a plethera of game fish that bring anglers from all over North America.
At 16,500 hectares, Grand Lake is New Brunswick's largest inland body of water; it acts as a heat sink, moderating
temperatures and creating a warm, dry micro-climate that supports tree species - bur oak, ironwood, basswood, butternut,
white ash, green ash and silver maple - that are almost exclusive to the ecoregion. (Info curtesty
of http://www.greatcanadianrivers.com/)
Every Winter during the Months of January and February Grand Lake is the
site of an immensly popular annual ice fishing tournament.
Species of fish found in Grand Lake are:
| Shortnose Sturgeon |
Gaspereau * |
Splake Hybrid |
| Brook trout |
Atlantic Salmon * |
Lake Whitefish |
| Rainbow Smelt * |
Chain Pickerel |
Blacknose Dace (Minnow) |
| Longnose Sucker |
White Sucker |
Burbot |
| White Perch |
Striped Bass |
Pumpkin Seed Sunfish |
| Yellow Perch |
Fall Fish |
Lake Chub |
* Species has sea-run and landlocked strains in New Brunswick
(Information curtesy of Fish
and Wildlife New Brunswick and Goodwins
Fly Shop)
An off-shoot of the southern section of the Saint John River Valley, this alluvial floodplain contains the province's
largest inland body of water, Grand Lake, and largest freshwater marsh, the Grand Lake Meadows. This marsh is famous
for its abundant bird life, especially waterfowl in spring and fall migration, raptors in winter, and the rare
Yellow Rail in summer. Grand Lake covers 165 square km and acts like a heat sink, moderating temperatures and creating
the warmest climate in the province. (Information curtesy of http://www.elements.nb.ca/theme/pa/map/eco7.htm)
You'll find a lot to do in the outdoors. The lake has a large campground and is a scenic venue for waterskiing,
canoeing, swimming, and boating. In winter, the area offers excellent cross-country skiing, skating, and ice fishing.
