HeritagePhoto Wikimedia CommonsReversing Falls Rapids
Canada
Watch in awe as the Saint John River reverses direction with the powerful Bay of Fundy tides. This rare natural phenomenon, caused by the world’s highest tides, is a spectacular and unforgettable sight, making it a must-see on any visit to the city.
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Reversing Falls Rapids
Welcome back to the Reversing Falls Rapids. In our previous analysis, we focused on the sheer hydrological power of the tides. …
Listen in the app2The Light Precambrian Marble
Direct your gaze to the lighter-colored rock formations, predominantly visible beneath the Skywalk area. This is Precambrian marble, clocking in at roughly one billion years old. …
Listen in the app3The Dark Cambrian Shale
In stark visual contrast, observe the darker, gray bands of rock intersecting the gorge. This is shale dating from the Cambrian Period, roughly 500 million years old. …
Listen in the app4Fossilized Trilobites
The Cambrian shale is not merely mud; it is an ancient graveyard. Within these dark layers, paleontologists have discovered the fossilized remains of trilobites—hard-shelled, segmented marine arthropods that thrived in the oceans…
Listen in the app5The Tectonic Suture Zone
The actual line where these two distinct rock types meet is known as a fault or suture zone. This is the scar tissue of a planetary collision. …
Listen in the app6The Role of Glaciation
We must also layer the impact of the recent Ice Ages over this ancient tectonic story. During the Pleistocene epoch, massive ice sheets covered this region, severely altering the topography. …
Listen in the app7The Submerged Sill
Finally, consider the hidden geology beneath the churning water. The underwater ledge, or sill, that creates the rapids is formed by the highly resistant Precambrian marble refusing to erode as quickly as the surrounding shale. …
Listen in the app8Reversing Falls Rapids
Our geological examination of the Reversing Falls Rapids reveals a profoundly deep history written in stone. You are standing at the intersection of a billion years of Earth's evolution, where tectonic plates from opposite ends…
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What is Reversing Falls Rapids?
Reversing Falls Rapids is a place in Canada with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Canada |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 45.2650, -66.0881 |
| Last updated |