New Brunswick - Shediac

Bathurst to Shediac Bridge/Shediac Travel Distance: 200 km
AirBnB accommodations: $223.81 for 2 nights (taxes, fees and cleaning fee inclusive)

We rented a cottage in the neighbouring Shediac Bridge, only a short drive to Shediac. It is situated in a quaint little community, where the yards extend from one to another - fence free. It is a cute little seaside cottage with 4 bedrooms, kitchen, living room and enclosed porch. A rustic feel to it, but very cosy. Its one of those places where you take off your shoes and feel that you are at home. Country

seaside living at its finest.

Shediac is known as The Lobster Capital of the World for lobster fishing, processing plants, live-lobster tanks and the famous Lobster Festival, this is where you’ll find The World’s Largest Lobster Sculpture– Of course we stopped to take a picture! Many tourist come for the lobster festival in July, vacationing in New Brunswick's eastern seashore paradise.

Shediac claims to have finest saltwater beaches in Eastern Canada. With waters peaking at 24 degrees Celsius it’s some of the warmest water north of Virginia. Boating, windsurfing, golf and hiking are just a few of the attractions on or near its pristine, sprawling beaches.

The town has many fine restaurants serving seafood, outdoor cafes

and a variety of boutiques and galleries. Shediac is a community of firsts. New Brunswick’s first steam sawmill was built here, the first passenger railroad in the Maritimes was located here, and this is where the first shipbuilding firm in New Brunswick started out.

Shediac was also instrumental in the development of air transport. The first transatlantic airmail sent to Lancashire, England was stamped at the Shediac Post Office on June 24, 1939. Flights went from Shediac to Foynes, Eire. Prior to that, in July of 1933, the first air squadron left Italy to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Twenty-five hydroplanes under the command of General Italo Balbo safely landed on the calm waters of Shediac Bay.

The first commercial flights from North America to Europe departed from the Shediac terminal of Pan American Airways beginning on July 19, 1937. The «Clipper» stopped in Shediac once a week to refuel. The breakout of World War II in September of 1939 saw the decline of the hydroplanes and as a result, the Shediac terminal shut down its operations. During the war, the terminal was used by the small military planes of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The first Acadian settlers to permanently set up house in the area, today known as Shediac, arrived between 1798 and 1805. They settled mainly to the east of the Scoudouc River, in an area that was

later known as La Batture because of the many oyster beds found at the mouth of the river. Today, over 75% of Shediac residents are still currently Acadian.

After setting into our accommodations we went to do a little exploring. Being that it was only mid day, we decided to take a drive to the Bay of Fundy and Hopewell Rocks. It is about 65 km from Shediac Bridge but takes about 45-60 mins. The roads meander through small villages and communities along the way.

It is a bit of a drizzly day, but we were loaded with rain gear, including Roxy. Hopewell Rocks is one of New Brunswick’s top attractions. Walk on the ocean floor in the shadows of the majestic flower-pot rocks, unique formations carved by erosion over thousands of years. Time and tide have carved from the cliffs and coves distinctive sandstone formations topped with trees. During periods of low tide, you can walk 2 km of beach and explore several coves.

North America’s seven wonders of nature were formally designated in February, 2014, by a panel of international experts. The Bay of Fundy shares this unique status with esteemed company including the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and the everglades. The Bay of Fundy has the highest tidal range in the world. The huge tides which at low tide, strand fishing boats, have in some places carved the coastline into sculptured islands and rock columns.