Exploring Nova Scotia - Cape Split

I recently met the lovely Paula and her nature-loving husband Davan. The two of them invited us to a weekend adventure at Cape Split. So we headed up Saturday afternoon. Parked at the trail head of Cape Split Provincial Park ( It's been only recently acquired by the province and is so far a completely unserviced Provincial Park), and hiked 8km to the tip of Cape Split. It's a land tongue that pushes into the Bay of Fundy and separates the Bay of Fundy from the Minas Basin. And it is one of the causes of the incredibly high tides at Burnt Coat Head Park that we explored a few weeks ago. The billions of tonnes of water gets pushed through the Minas Channel into the Minas Basin and back out into the Bay of Fundy with a tidal shift every 6 hours. The amount of water that pushes in and out of the Bay every day is more than the Earth's combined streams and rivers, in short its a spectactular place all around. 

We hiked along a well worn path through a very wild and mostly untouched looking forest. Along the 8km trail the scenery changes quite a bit from very tall to rather short foliage, from widely spaced trees to very thickly overgrown areas where the brush pushes into the trail overhead. There are streams that cross the path, and paths that turn into streams. But once you get to the end of the trail, the woods spit you out into a breathtaking meadow, high and dry grass everywhere and you stand at the edge of a 200ft tall cliff.

Davan and Paula had been there before and we set up camp in the high grass since it made the perfect cushion and a breathtaking view. For a little dinner campfire we found a nice spot further down into the woods but also on the edge of a cliff. A nicely protected area made it easy and comfortable to spend the evening around the fire. After dark a storm front pulled in and turned it into a true adventure. Davan and Paula's tent almost got blown off the cliff because of hurricane like winds and thanks to two fellow campers/adventurers all 4 men finally managed to drag it to a more protected wooded area. In the middle of the storm and rain we did our best to fasten everything down, Scott and my little tent we stuffed into Davan & Paula's big tent and spent the night all 4 of us holding down the big tent with our weight ;). After a few rounds of playing cards the storm had past and we got to see the most incredible starry night I have ever seen. It was millions of stars and the milky way all above our heads. Definitely something you could never ever see in the city. The next morning we watched the high tide push past cape split and headed back home. We got back to the car just in time for the high tide to reverse directions which was quite a spectacular view as well!

On our way to Cape Split we stopped at 'the look off'on the North Mountain and encountered our first Spectacular view! 

Paula & Davan :)

Scott & the view

Low Tide at the Trail Head

Getting Close! 

Almost there! See the woods on the other side of this cliff.. that's where we had our camp fire.

From the woods into the most breathtaking meadow! 

The tip that has erroded into a cliff island over there is only used by birds, since only they can get to it. 

Hanging out next to the abyss is not my style  ;).

Still a safe distance from the edge

This is were we set up camp.

 This is were we actually spent the night thanks to the crazy storm.

 Good Morning cape Split.

 View from our campfire

 Knobbly Tree.

 High Tide is Pushing into the Minas Basin

 Old man mossy tree

 High Tide

Trail Head High Tide/ Tide reversal