The Chocolate River in Moncton

Mud on the river bank

They call it the Chocolate River because the water and the mud on the shore looks like chocolate.

  This the result of the twice daily tidal bore that flows up the river from the Bay of Fundy.  The tidal surge comes about 27 km up the river.  It is quite incredible to watch.  I was there on August 21 when the full moon made the tide larger than usual.  Some surfers tried to ride the wave all the way up the full length of the tidal surge.  Only one guy from Costa Rica made it all the way.  Apparently the wave was quite rough and they couldn't ride on top; only in front of it.

I thought I got it on my movie camera and realized afterwards that I had it on the wrong setting. I'm hoping I can get a few frames from the video bits that I did get.  Anyway, here are before and after shots of the river empty and then full.  Apparently the amount of water that moves in and out of the Bay of Fundy and this river each day is more volume than the Grand Canyon would hold.  I've been to the Grand Canyon and that's a lot of water!

Moncton Hotel after

Moncton Hotel before

    

Looking upstream before

Upstream after