Late last year I spent 10 days in the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia photographing the stunning Bay Of Fundy and surrounding area. As with all my photo trips I spent a large chunk of time beforehand planning out specific areas that I wanted to visit. Like usual some panned out as I had hoped and others didn’t live up to my expectations. Today on the blog I’m going to highlight five spots that you have to check out on your next trip out east.

Swallow Tail Lighthouse – Grand Manan Island

1. Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick

Located off the coast of New Brunwick near Saint Johns, Grand Manan Island is a rather large “spot”. I had to list the whole island though as the possibilities are endless no matter where you drive/hike. Access to the island is via a hour and a half ferry ride out of Black’s Harbour, New Brunswick. Grand Manan is roughly 34km in length and has a population of just over 2000. The island is home to many lighthouses, small fishing villages and some dramatic sea cliffs. A must visit while on the island is the “hole in the wall” accessed by a short hike departing from a campground named… you guessed it.. “The Hole In The Wall Campground”. I spent a total of three days on the island and it certainly wasn’t enough time. The friendly quiet atmosphere was extremely peaceful. For wildlife photogs Grand Manan is recognized as a world-class birding area and there is also an abundant amount of sea life including whales and seals.

Hole In The Wall – Grand Manan Island

2.  Cape Enrage, New Brunswick

Cape Enrage is located in Albert County along the Bay Of Fundy. It is home to some very dramatic sea cliffs towering over 50 meters high and a fantastic pebble beach located in between said cliffs. Also, the oldest mainland lighthouse in New Brunswick is located at Cape Enrage. I spent two evenings shooting the pebble beach here. The “cove” like shape of the beach gives you a lot of options for using the evening light and composing different angles. Keep in mind while scouting this location that the Bay Of Fundy is home to the highest tides in the world, so something is going to look drastically different at 8:00 p.m then it did at 1:00 p.m.

Cape Enrage – New Brunswick

3. New River Beach, New Brunswick

New River Beach Provincial Park is located roughly half an hour from the City of Saint John. The long sandy beach stretches as far as the eye can see. I visited in the evening at low tide which revealed interesting patterns throughout the sand and left tidal pools scattered along the beach. The opposing rocky shoreline dotted with trees makes for the perfect element to finish off your image.  Also, at either end of the beach there are interesting rock formations which create a whole other set of possibilities. Make sure you check the times for the tide before you visit so you can plan your shooting accordingly.

New River Beach – New Brunswick

4. Gibson Falls, New Brunswick

Gibson Falls (also known as “Hermit Falls”) is a small but spectacular waterfall located just outside the small town of Elgin, New Brunswick. The falls itself eventually flows into the Pollett River which has carved through the land over the years forming one of the most spectacular river gorges around. The falls themselves are a treat to shoot but when visiting this area you will also be consumed by countless other photo opportunities. The large rock walls towering over the river and the lush environment really are breathtaking. When I visited in the fall I was the only person around making for quite a surreal visit. More information can be found at the Waterfalls Of New Brunswick website.

Gibson Falls – New Brunswick

5. Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

I know….quite a cliche way to end this list but regardless of how popular a location it is Peggy’s Cove is truly a must visit. I spent four days in the area exploring the village and the other small communities located close by. Peggy’s Cove is obviously famous for it’s lighthouse, but on top of that the whole surrounding area screams authentic maritime fishing village. It’s exactly what I pictured in my mind when I envisioned small town east coast life. The small groups of fishing shacks dotting the coast line covered in buoys, ropes and lobster traps can be explored through the lens for days. Obviously because this area is so popular tourists can be a bit of a problem when trying to capture images. I found the early morning to be the quietest… I usually had the place to myself. Sundown was a different story, mainly at the lighthouse… I found I was better off exploring other parts of the community at those hours. Peggy’s Cove is definitely a place that I will visit again, I feel the possibilities are endless.

Peggy’s Cove – Nova Scotia

 If you haven’t yet visited the east coast of Canada I certainly recommend it. The coastal route  all the way throughout both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia really provides unique features for landscape photographers. Even though some of the areas have been heavily photographed there’s certainly still a large amount of hidden gems waiting to be discovered!

Morning Reflections – New Brunswick