Experiences with St. John Reversing Falls, Bay of Fundy

[OrangeCrush]

Hello All,

I'm looking for some supplementary knowledge regarding transit of the St. John Reversing Falls (in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada). I have a good cruising guide and the sailing directions and I've sailed in the Bay of Fundy multiple times before, just never into the St. John River. We're coming from New York in July, stopping in Nantucket or Provincetown, then across the Gulf of Maine to Grand Manan where we'll clear customs, then heading to St. John to wait for the right moment for transit. We'll contact Fundy Traffic for the latest schedule of slack at the falls, but I still have some general questions...

-Most resources mention going through at the slack following low tide, during flood. Is there any reason that the slack on the ebb is not as advisable?

-The docks at Market Square sound pretty bad and might be either filled up or too small for me to get a safe spot. Any other options that people know of for a place to wait, other than circling around for hours in the harbor?

-Any recommendations for good spots once we're inside on the St. John River? At some point we'll need groceries, laundry, and maybe a place for someone catch a cab to the airport. But most of all we want some beautiful spots to make the visit worth the trouble. We'll probably spend about 5 days in there. I don't want to rush so we probably won't get up as far as Grand Lake.

Any experiences, tips, favorite spots, contacts, or anything else would be most greatly appreciated!

Jack

[Shoalcove]

I’ve not cruised on the St. John river but I have some experience with the area. Both the Royal Kennebeccasis Yacht Club and the Rothsay Yacht Club are pretty close to the the city and grocery stores. Easy cab ride. The airport is a little further but not too bad. It’s not a big city.
I’ve never made the passage over the falls but I’d want to have the water rising and giving me a push than the other options. It’s rather nasty in the “off”times!
I think Gagetown would be a nice stop. It’s a very small and quaint village with a spot to tie up or anchor. It’s got a nice pub.
Hopefully more experienced locals will show up to offer more. Good luck!

[Dymaxion]

Market Square wharf is fine, just tie up anticipating the 14' tide swing. Theodore the Tugboat may be taking up a lot of room if it's back this summer. Grand Bay, once inside falls and upstream beyond channel, offers several places to stop. Pushing upstream to Gagetown is a long day of motoring. Just inside the falls is the power boat squadron where you can wait for tide change on way back out. Since I only sail inside the bay I'll let others pipe up on best transit time, it's done on ebb or flow. It's not a physical waterfall, rocks etc, it's out rush over in rush or vice versa that creates the waterfall effect.

[Shoalcove]

I wasn’t suggesting Gagetown as a first stop; it was in reference to the OP’s request for suggested spots to see.

[CaptainLen]

We spent 10 days up in the St John river last summer and it was wonderful. Highly recommend it. Don't miss Kingston Creek as a stopover.
Regarding the reversing falls, just listen to the Fundy Traffic vhf channel and go when they tell you. You have 20-30 minutes of easy passage time and it takes 5-10 minutes to from the harbor to the falls.
KBYC is the best stop, especially on Thursday night when they have the buffet.
Happy Sailing.

[Boston Blackie]

Second the suggestion for Kingston Creek in Belle Isle Bay as a great stop after the RKYC. Also dinner ashore at Gullivers in Gagetown.

[OrangeCrush]

This is great info, thanks all. Gagetown could be a good final destination given our time frame, and I'd heard good things about RKYC so it's good to have that confirmed.

As shoalcove pointed out, it would be nice to go in on the flood since it would give us a push after we're through rather than suck us back out (if we're behind schedule). But since we're coming from the south (about 40 miles from Grand Manan) we'll be riding the flood tide up there, presumably getting to the harbor around high tide, and the next slack would be on the ebb. Based on CaptainLen's stated timing, it shouldn't be a problem regardless and I don't mind staying the night at Market Square, but I want to know what my options are before getting there. Plus I just looked up a picture of Theodore the Tug and I can't imagine a friendlier looking boat to raft up with

[deblen]

This Rev.Falls slacks table link will start working later in the spring.
7 days Tidal Predictions - Tides, Currents, and Water Levels


Tide Tables for Grand Manan & Saint John. (Locals use SJ tables for G.M. as there is only 13min.difference)
http://www.waterlevels.gc.ca/eng/station?sid=65




http://www.smartatlantic.ca/saintjohn/buoy.php




Plan on departing North Head,G.M. 2 hrs. before low tide. This gives you less than the last two hrs. of Fundy ebb to buck & a full 6hrs of flood to assist you. The distance from N.H. to Market Slip is approx. 50nm. It takes me 7hrs to make the trip. Don't bother to try to run a XTE line. The flood tide will set you northward towards the N.B. shore some. The tide runs faster in that sweep.
Plan on motoring the whole trip,or motorsailing. The prevailing SW breeze doesn't start til near 11AM.

Just set your course from Swallowtail Light directly to the S.J. Fairway buoy & the tide will look after the rest.

When you reach the western edge of the harbour(off Lorneville),you can save time by cutting across the large "anchorage" & making directly for the channel just east of Partridge Isl.


Market Slip is OK during during daylight & it is accepted practice to raft against other boats at the floating slip,while waiting for slack,or you can just drift in the harbour-it's not normally busy.



It is sad that the city doesn't provide some yacht facilities along that waterfront.Market Slip is central to the bars,market & uptown SJ. Oh well.


You can go thru the Falls up to an hr. or so after slack-IF the current is running WITH you. It's "interesting".


Remember-If you are late leaving G.M.I. & late for the slack,you will be waiting for another 6 hrs.


The trip back from S.J. to G.M. should be made on the Fundy ebb if possible. I have managed that in 6hrs (speeds over 10kts in my 6kt hull).
If you make the return in the afternoon,expect up 15- 25kts on the nose-wet but kinda fun-or you can come down along the N.B. shore & duck into Dipper or Beaver Hbr.
Expect some nasty wind & tide stuff off Pt. Lepreau if you follow the N.B. shore.


Tel # for berth @ N.H. 506-662-8482


Enjoy your trip/ Len

[deblen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDSZpmLEoVw

[OrangeCrush]

I forgot to say thanks, Deblen! This is super specific and helpful info.

[OrangeCrush]

Deblen (or others),


I've got a follow up question for you if you're still watching this thread. Assuming all goes exactly to plan we'll be tied up at Market Slip around high tide on July 8th. The next slack tide will be on the ebb. It seems like it affords less room for error, but do you recommend transiting the falls inbound on ebb slack? Or would you think it better to wait first flood slack so we have a little more room for error and get a push after coming through?


Also I'd much rather go through in daylight, so it's possible we try to spend the night tied up at Market Slip and wait for the first slack the following day. This is especially likely if we're a day or more behind schedule by the time we get up there. Do you think we'll be OK tied up overnight there or will that be miserable/difficult? It doesn't seem like there are other any anchorages nearby.



Thanks so much!

[CaptainLen]

It's been my experience that it doesn't really matter which tide you use to transit the reversing falls. Just follow recommendations on Fundy Traffic radio. The reversing part is very short and narrow. Stay in the center. There is very little current past the first corner after you get into the river.
The whole of the river and associated lakes are a wonderful sailing (motor-sailing) experience and one not to be missed.
Have a great trip.
Len

[deblen]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Deblen (or others),


I've got a follow up question for you if you're still watching this thread. Assuming all goes exactly to plan we'll be tied up at Market Slip around high tide on July 8th. The next slack tide will be on the ebb. It seems like it affords less room for error, but do you recommend transiting the falls inbound on ebb slack? Or would you think it better to wait first flood slack so we have a little more room for error and get a push after coming through?


Also I'd much rather go through in daylight, so it's possible we try to spend the night tied up at Market Slip and wait for the first slack the following day. This is especially likely if we're a day or more behind schedule by the time we get up there. Do you think we'll be OK tied up overnight there or will that be miserable/difficult? It doesn't seem like there are other any anchorages nearby.



Thanks so much!

I agree with Capt Len's recent post. Doesn't matter which slack. If you were too late on the outflow slack,you would know it when you reached the turn into the rapids. You would not be able to power against the outflow at that point & would have to return to the harbour (Market Slip).


Suggest you have a look at the harbour & river on Google Earth. The water is deep & traffic normally very light to none. Stay in the middle & enjoy.



You picked a date that the Bay of Fundy is "ebb tide all day-all week". That happens basically every other week-no big deal.


I did a bit of "figgerin"-but double check me.


You would like to leave GMI,get up thru the falls & into a marina all during daylight hrs on July 08.
Our tide tables are in ADT. It doesn't get dark until after 9PM ADT.

You can get thru the falls at 7:44 PM (19:44)
You can be at RKYC by 8:45PM ( 20:45)


To accomplish this,leave North Head 10:00 AM AST. (1 hr prior to low tide)
You will have 7hr 45min ,mostly flood tide,to travel approx 50nm to the falls. Should work. / Len


R. Falls slack time tables are only issued for the "current 7 day period".


To calculate a slack at a future date:


Using the official tide tables for Saint John,N.B. & using ADT.


End of Inward run slack = Low tide time + 3h 50min
End of Outward run slack = High tide time + 2hr 25min.


OR OR OR roughly-slacks occur at 2hr 15min EITHER side of High tide.

[deblen]

I've never done Hells Gate/East River,but it looks very similar to the Reversing Falls(now re-named-Reversing Rapids) / Len


https://www.offshoreblue.com/cruisin...r-planning.php

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by deblen

I've never done Hells Gate/East River,but it looks very similar to the Reversing Falls(now re-named-Reversing Rapids) / Len

Yeah, I've been through Hellgate countless times (it's in the background of my profile pic actually). It's the same general idea, but the extremes are definitely worse in St. John. Lots of people go through Hellgate with maximum favorable current and the only consequence is a little water on deck.

Thanks so much for all the figgerin, it's a huge help. You've confirmed a lot of my rough calculations. I think we'll save the marina (prob RKYC) for the trip back down and anchor for the first few days on the river.

I may chime back in here with more questions, but in the meantime I'm just excited to get up there. Thanks again.

Jack

P.S. Are there really two different people named Len on this thread with knowledge of St. John?