Partridge Island and Five Islands Lighthouse

On the recommendation of an extremely knowledgeable woman working at the Fundy Geological Museum, I headed to Partridge Island after spending the morning and early afternoon at the museum and Wasson Bluff. The basalt shores of the island which are connected to the mainland by causeway during normal tide levels are excellent spots for mineral collecting and famous for amethyst, quartz, calcite, and zeobite. The island also has a two mile loop trail that starts with the steep ascent up the headland before leveling out and winding through the dense forest as it encircles the perimeter. After spending the day alternately standing in front of museum exhibits and stooping over rocks on the shores below Wasson Bluff, I was anxious to walk a bit before dinner. The trees were overgrown along the trail so it wasn’t until the trail reached the far end of the island before I was able to spy views of the Minas Basin, but it was a lovely little jaunt nonetheless. Crossing back across the causeway I tested the water and jumped in for a quick shower before making dinner on a picnic table nearby.

After overnighting at a secluded trailhead nestled within the inland forest, I continued east and made my first stop at the Five Islands Lighthouse Park along the Minas Basin. I spent an hour walking the beach at low tide and enjoying the views of the islands offshore as well as the lighthouse itself. Interestingly, erosion of the shore due to the massive power of the Bay of Fundy (of which the Minas Basin is an extension) have necessitated the relocation of this lighthouse four times since 1913. While at the park, I also sat and read underneath one of the pavilions as a rain storm moved through. Before moving on, I availed myself of their water pump to refill my jugs – my biggest logistical challenge while traveling in Canada.