SAINT JOHN

E. of Partridge Is.: 45° 14.20’N 066° 02.50’W

4th ed. Cruising Guide page 410

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Canadian Charts: 4117, 4116

Fundy region overview chart Harbor chart

Tidal Range: Mean 21.9 feet (6.7m); Spring 30 feet (8.8m)

Emergency: 911, upriver 800-442-9722
Hospital: 506-648-6000, 506-632-5555
Canadian Coast Guard: Ch. 16; 800-565-1582, *16
Fundy Traffic: Ch. 12; 506-636-4696
Customs: 888-CANPASS
Marine forecast: 506-648-4986, 506-636-4991



THE face modern Saint John presents to the water is a very different sight than the mouth of the mighty river that Samuel de Champlain named in 1604 in honor of St. John the Baptist Day. Huge freighters and expansive cruise ships come and go from wharves fortified against enormous tides with ranges taller than the masts of some cruising sailboats. The shores are lined with tank farms, dry docks, and the largest refinery in Canada. And the constant current either catapults a boat upriver or fights it every inch of the way.
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Behind the industrial facade is a city of human proportions that is a testament to the perseverance of the Saint Johners who rebuilt most of it after it was raised by fire in 1877. A European sense of cleanliness and order prevails. The streets are laid out in neat rows, cars stop for pedestrians, and the crossing signals beep audible signals for the blind. Most of the core of the city can be reached on foot—the City Market, King’s Square, the rows of historic houses, the fine dining and shopping. If the fog happens to be too thick to navigate the streets on foot, a network of indoor skywalks connects major portions of the city.
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As a courtesy, notice that the “Saint” in Saint John is never abbreviated, and that there is only one “John.” St. Johns is in Newfoundland, and you haven’t sailed that far… yet.
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Approaches. Use caution approaching the very busy port of Saint John. Bay of Fundy Vessel Traffic Services (Ch. 12; 506-636-4696), called “Fundy Traffic” on the radio, maintains radar surveillance of all vessel movements in the entire Bay of Fundy, much like an air traffic controller, but their primary reason for being is to direct the flow of traffic in and out of Saint John. Fundy Traffic should be contacted on channel 12 well before approaching the harbor, particularly during low visibility, and they will inform you of vessel movements nearby. Channel 12 should be monitored until you arrive safely.
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Because the denser, heavier salt water tends to flood in a wedge beneath the lighter fresh water flowing out of the Saint John River, the brown, fresh water from the river meets the greenish-blue salt water along a foam line well outside the mouth of the harbor, even on a flood tide. Floating debris may be lurking in the foam line, so use caution when crossing it. South or southwesterly winds build short, steep waves in this area that are uncomfortable but not dangerous unless they are breaking in strong southerly winds. The waves become progressively shorter and steeper toward the mouth of the harbor.
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When the visibility is good, avoid shipping traffic by approaching close to Partridge Island, which was the site of North America’s first quarantine station and later the site of the first steam-powered fog whistle in the world. Pick up the green channel buoys and follow them up the west side of the channel. Once around the ledge extending eastward from Partridge, you can stay just outside the channel to the west if you need to avoid shipping traffic. At night, follow the lighted range markers. Proceed northward toward the first wharf on the west side of the harbor where the ferry departs for Digby, Nova Scotia.
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In pea soup, the red-and-white Mo(A) whistle south of Partridge might be reassuring, but it marks the center of the shipping lanes. Most shipping in the harbor occurs 21&Mac218;2 hours before or after high water, but count on traffic at all times regardless of visibility. Note on your charts that a ship anchorage lies off Manawagonish Island, known locally as Mahogany Island. Fundy Traffic can inform you if any ships are lying there.
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Proceed up the western fork of the channel. A strong current with complex eddies runs in the harbor as the tides interact with the outflow from the Saint John River. The unique phenomena of the Reversing Falls delays the upriver flow of current until slack water at the falls, about 3 hours and 50 minutes after low tide. During the delay, even while the tide is flooding, the current is out-flowing. After slack water, the current flows upriver. It continues flowing upriver even during the first 2 hours and 25 minutes of the ebb, until the next slack water at the falls (see Reversing Falls on page 414). Plan to arrive at least 4 hours after low water while the current is flowing upriver. In an ideal world, the current will be with you, or you will have a big auxiliary, or both.
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Anchorages, Moorings. There are only two options for docking in the harbor, and both are temporary at best. Most boats try to navigate the Reversing Falls at the first opportunity. Tie to the floating dock at Market Slip, on the east side at the head of the harbor just past the Coast Guard wharf. Dock anywhere but the innermost boatlength where it shoals to a reported depth of only 2 or 3 feet. When approaching the float, use extreme care in navigating the eddies that swirl around the mouth of the slip and the outer end of the dock.
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The slip was the site of the first Loyalist landing in 1783, and it once extended to the foot of King Street. Later, it was lined with warehouses, and merchant ships of all kinds unloaded their wares. It still is the heart of the city, now renovated and known as the Boardwalk at Market Square. The city could not be more accessible, but you and your boat could not be more public. The dock is exposed to the swells which roll into the harbor everywhere, and the current can be strong enough to press boats against the dock or pull them away with remarkable force, particularly at the outer end of the dock. The dock is about three boatlengths long, and boats often raft off the middle section of the dock to avoid the eddies at the outer end and the shoal water farther in.
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The other option is to tie to a large, floating concrete dock in the second to last slip on the west side of the channel, just past the container-ship terminal. The dock is used for unloading vehicles from roll-on/roll-off ships, and it is brutal in scale. More importantly, it floats on the huge tides. Its large rubber fenders will keep you away from the concrete, and it is somewhat more sheltered from the currents and the swells than Market Slip. Despite the signs which say no dockage is allowed, it is an accepted place to lay over until the tide at the Reversing Falls is favorable. Most boats stay only long enough to time the Reversing Falls and head upriver. Customs clearance (888-CANPASS, regular hours: M-F 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM) can be gained from either dock, though Market Slip is much more convenient (see p. 368 for more information).
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For the Boat. Most amenities will be found in the boating Mecca beyond the Reversing Falls. A schedule of the tides and the high and low slack waters for the Reversing Falls can be obtained at the tourist information center next to Market Slip. The schedule, printed by the Irving Oil Company, clearly indicates that it is not intended for navigational purposes, but you will find a copy on almost every boat in the area.
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For the Crew. There is a laundromat on Princess Street, three blocks away, and a variety of restaurants nearby. As part of revitalization efforts, the city has constructed an artificial beach at the end of Market Slip, an incongruous piece of California planted in the middle of the city. Here, at almost anytime of day and often in the drizzle or fog, league and pick-up games of volleyball are played in bare feet and bathing suits. The Canada Games Aquatic Centre, one block away, is open most afternoons for public swimming (they have showers, too), and the Market Square complex, located right next to Market Slip, houses the city library.
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Things to Do. The exploring, dining, and shopping possibilities here are unlimited. The tourist bureau, located at Loyalist Plaza next to Market Slip, has pamphlets describing walking tours of the city. Wander the shops and restaurants in Market Square, a mall in restored buildings that were once warehouses for the clipper trade.
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Walk up the hill to King’s Square, where the paths are laid out like the stripes of the Union Jack and an Edwardian bandstand is elevated over a fountain. Nearby is the Imperial Theatre and the Loyalist Burying Grounds. City Market, off one corner of the square, is one of the oldest farmers’ markets in the country with fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood, and meats. It opens and closes with a ringing of a bell at 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM six days a week, and it is housed in an 1876 building spanned by timber-framed trusses on cast-iron columns. To the south and east, walk the lovely streets of townhouses and captains homes near Queens Square.
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The city has an urban transit system that, for $1.25, can considerably broaden your explorations. Routes and schedules are available at the tourist bureau or by calling 506-658-4700. One awesome spectacle that many cruisers never see from their boat (hopefully!) is the Reversing Falls at their maximum strength. A bus passes near the Falls View Park, or you can take a cab. You can also take a jetboat tour through the Falls, leaving from Market Slip (506-634-8987). Do this after you have already navigated the falls at slack. Otherwise, you might not believe that it is possible, or be a little less inclined to find out.
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