 A Sea of Possibilities on an Inland River Cruise By Glen Cairns When contemplating boating in the Maritime Provinces, trailer boat owners might be intimidated by the image of dense fog, tide rips and the rolling ocean.
While the truth about coastal cruising in the region is much more benign, there are two large cruising expanses that are as inviting as any protected inland lake or river.
These are the Bras d’Or Lakes region of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia and the Saint John River in New Brunswick. We’ll save the Bras d’Or Lakes for another time and take a closer look at the St. John River.
Although the St. John river runs for over 400 miles from its headwaters in northern Maine, we will concern ourselves with the approximately 75 miles between the head of navigation at Fredericton and the river’s end at the port city of Saint John on the Bay of Fundy.
Before getting into all the things that the St. John river has to offer, I should point out a couple of things it doesn’t offer. The first is fog, at least not the peasoup variety that the Bay of Fund is famous for. The other is tide. Above the reversing falls at Saint John, the tidal effect rapidly diminishes and the current, such as it is, always flows downstream. The reversing falls are caused by the river dropping over a ledge when the tide is low and doing the opposite when the tide is high. Passage is possible at times between high and low but the port city is not small boat friendly. You would be best advised to leave the boat at one of the facilities on the river and take a cab to the city.
The boating season starts in May, but can be affected by the strength of the spring flow on the river. Called the freshet, this surge in the river comes from snowmelt in the hills of New Brunswick and Maine and varies in strength from year to year. If you are planning an early visit, check with local operators as to conditions. By June things settle down and the boating season continues into the autumn. Indeed the river takes on a truly spectacular aspect during the fall colours in early October. September is often a beautiful time of the year in this region with clear days, cool evenings and no bugs.
While the 75 miles between Saint John and Fredericton make for an easy weekend cruise with a fast runabout, there are many side trips that can occupy you for as much time as you have available.
Bob Harrity is a yacht broker based in Saint John who has been sailing the river all his life. Asked to name to a few favorite spots he rattles off a seemingly endless catalog of coves, harbours and beaches. As Bob says, “If you want solitude it's there, if you want to mix with the crowds that's available as well.”
That is what boating on the river is all about. As they say, it’s not the destination it’s the journey. Equipped with suitable charts and weather information, boaters can plan their time on the river to take best advantage of wind and weather.
Starting from Saint John, McCormack Cove on the south side of Kennebecasis Island is a lovely quiet spot open only to the south. Also on Kennebecasis Island is Vance’s Beach where boats can go right up to the shore. Both of these places are close to Saint John. Your first opportunity for a side trip is Kennebecasis Bay. Here you can find a peaceful anchorage in Forrester Cove. Further east, the bay becomes a river and is navigable by small boats as far as Hampton. Heading north, your next side trip is at the end of Long Reach where you can continue into Belleisle Bay. Near the entrance of the bay is Kingston Creek, a beautiful and sheltered place to spend the night.
Further up the bay on the north side you’ll find Jenkins Cove, a quiet harbour with a distinctly pastoral setting. Heading north on the river you can reach Lake Washademaoak (these names will roll off your tongue after a weeks cruising). Here Cambridge Narrows marks the limit for any boat with more than a 45’ mast, but trailerable boats have no trouble going farther east, and even through the aptly named “Narrow Piece”.
Saving the biggest for last, a short cruise up the Jemseg River takes you into Grand Lake. This is a big body of water, so keep an eye on the weather. The most popular destination on the lake is Douglas Harbour were the Fredericton Yacht Club maintains a wharf. At the eastern end of the lake the Salmon River is navigable as far as Chipman.
About halfway between Fredericton and Saint John is the little village of Gagetown. Located on the channel on the west side of Gagetown Island, the Gagetown Marina has easy access floating docks with room for visitors. The marina also has that most favoured of amenities, the “dockside pub”; in this case it’s called the Old Boot House. A popular anchorage is located at Grim Ross Island near Gagetown, another spot where boats can put their bows on the beach. Great for a lunch stop or overnight.
The town of Oromocto is a right next to the large Gagetown Military base and has all the conveniences and services you might need. The Oromocto Boat Club has docks and a launch ramp. The Oromocto River is a nice tree lined diversion and is especially beautiful in the fall.
Once you reach Fredericton, powerboats can tie up downtown at the Regent Street Wharf. From here all the sights of this pleasant university and government town are within walking distance. In the tourist season you can check out the colourful changing of the guard. Arrive between September 11th and the 16th and you will be able to enjoy the Harvest Jazz and Blues festival. September and even early October are beautiful months to explore the river with lots of clear skies, cool evenings and some of the best Autumn colours you’ll see anywhere.
This has been just a glimpse of what the St. John River has to offer. Check out the tourism and service industry web sites listed in the side bar for more detail. I also recommend you spend a little quality time with Google Earth, to get a feel for the river and the sights that it holds in store.
MARINAS AND LAUNCH RAMPS
Belleisle Bay Marina, Erbs Cove NB, Tel: 506-832-7373
Email: giff-45@hotmail.com Brundage Point River Centre, Grand Bay-Westfield, NB, Tel: 506-738-6406
Email: dcoles@towngbw.ca Centennial Park Sailboat Marina, Mactaquac, NB, Tel: 506-363-4747
Email: macataquacpark@gnb.ca Chipman Marine Wharf, Chipman, NB, Tel:506-39-6601
Email: villchip@nbnet.nb.ca Gagetown Marina, Village of Gagetown, NB, Tel: 877-488-1992
Email: nancy@gagetownmarina.ca
Web: www.gagetownmarina.ca Mactaquac Marina, Keswick Ridge, NB, Tel: 506-461-2349
Email: jewettl@nbnet.nb.ca Oromocto Boat Club, Oromocto, NB, Tel:506-357-7374
Email: blaisyva@nbnet.nb.ca
Web: www.oromoctoboatclub.ca Regent Street Wharf, Fredericton, NB, Tel: 506-458-8922
Email: dfi@downtownfredericton.ca
Web: www.downtownfredericton.ca Rothsay Yacht Club, Rothsay, NB, Tel: 506-847-7245
Email: kriver2@nbnet.nb.ca
Web: www.rothsayyachtclub.com Royal Kennebeccasis Yacht Club, Saint John, NB, Tel: 506-632-0186
Email: rkyc1@nbnet.nb.ca
Web: www.rkyc.nb.ca Saint John Marina Ltd., Saint John, NB, Tel: 506-738-8484
Email: sjmarina@nbnet.nb.ca
Web: www.sjmarina.ca Saint John Power Boat Club, Saint John, NB, Tel: 506-847-5852
Email: bernie_boating@hotmail.com
Web: www.kennebecasis.cps-epc.org For a copy of the very useful “Maritime Boating Guide” contact:
www.boatinginatlanticcanada.com Canadian Hydrographic Service Charts for the St. John River from Fredericton to Saint John are 4141 and 4142. www.charts.gc.ca
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St. John River, NB 
