Boating in New Brunswick

It is known by many as an awe-inspiring and magnificent place to visit covered by breathtaking coastline. The Bay of Fundy has multiple types of sharks you can try and catch a glimpse of as you sail through while offering some of the best whale watching in the province. Island-hopping around the Fundy Isles is a great way to see this picturesque province and makes for a true coastal experience, when boating in New Brunswick. You can dock your own watercraft at one of the local yacht clubs such as the Saint John Marina or the Royal Kennebeccasis Yacht Club.

The Saint John River is ideal for all boating trips, offering many different water activities, including boating, kayaking and canoeing. The Saint John River runs 400 miles from its headwaters in the mountains of northern Maine. One section that attracts boaters is the 75 miles between the river’s mouth at the port city of Saint John on the Bay of Fundy and the head of navigation at Fredericton.

 

Grand Manan Island

Boats departing from Nova Scotia can depart from Yarmouth and make for Grand Manan Island. This is approximately 70 nautical miles. From there, it’s only 50 miles to Saint John. Boating season begins in May and continues on into Autumn. However, it can oftentimes be affected by the strength of the spring flow on the river. This rise in the river known as the Freshet. It comes from snowmelt in the hills of New Brunswick and Maine and varies in strength from year-to-year.

Gagetown

If you are planning to visit Fredericton on your trip, halfway between Fredericton and Saint John there is a small village of Gagetown. On the west side of Gagetown Island the Gagetown Marina has easy access floating docks with rooms for visitors. There is a famously quaint dockside pub called the Old Boot Pub.  It is an attraction for many as the perfect spot to enjoy lunch by the water. Once you do reach the province of Fredericton, powerboats can anchor downtown at the Regent Street Wharf. During mid-September you can enjoy a five-day long Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival.

The Reversing Falls

The Reversing Falls are a famous attraction for many boaters. It’s a series of rapids located on the Saint John River that runs through a narrow gorge before emptying into the Bay of Fundy. When planning to visit the falls or the city, there are plenty of docking options. Check out the Rothesay Yacht Club which has excellent facilities. There are places to dock farther up the river such as McCormack Cove. It’s located on the south side of Kennebecasis Island and Vance’s Beach where boats can anchor right up on the shore.

The city of Miramichi is located about 70 km inland from the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It runs around 250 km in length and is comprised of two branches, the Southwest Miramichi River and the Northwest Miramichi River. It holds two marinas, Station Wharf Marina located on the East side of the river. The Miramichi Boating Yacht Club is on the west side of Douglastown. These marinas are surrounded by restaurants, amenities for your watercraft and shopping. They both monitor Channel 68 on the Marine Radio.

The Miramichi Boating and Yacht Club opens from May through to October and provides 24 hour services during its peak seasons. Launch fees are $15 tax included and they offer fuel and sewage pump-out. The Station Wharf Marina is a full service marina with a 400’ commercial wharf that offers gas and diesel fuel, retail boating accessories, boat tours and a holding tank pump station. The Rodd Miramichi River Hotel is located next to the wharf if you were planning on staying the night. It offers beautiful water-side views, dinner and drinks.

Grand Lake is located in central New Brunswick, about 40 km east of Fredericton. It’s the province’s largest, body of freshwater with a total of 20 km in length and 5 km wide. It drains through the Jemseg River and the Grand Lake Meadows. It eventually makes its way into the Saint John River and out to the Bay of Fundy through Saint John. There are perfect campsites and exciting boating activities to uncover all summer long. There is a diversity of fish species from Rainbow Smelt to Striped Bass that anglers will enjoy when they visit this Lake.

You can enjoy a unique vacation experience on a houseboat. This is a stress-free way to see the beauty of the waterways and the communities that surround them. Dock the boat for the day and play a round of golf on the nationally acclaimed course. Explore the farmer’s market and unique shops on the Fredericton waterfront. For those who enjoy canoeing or kayaking, there is much to explore on the waterways of New Brunswick. Everything from the highest tides in the world to exhilarating river rapids, calm lakes and bays – boating in New Brunswick is something that needs to be expoerienced.