A. It is recommended to view the Falls twice - near low tide and near high tide. A film presentation of the Reversing Falls can be viewed the Split Rock Café for a small fee.
At low tide, the St. John River, which runs for 450 miles through the Province of New Brunswick, empties into the bay through a narrow rocky gorge. Near Fallsview Park, an underwater ledge, 36' below, causes a boiling series of rapids and whirlpools. The rising tide slows the river current to a stop and for 20 minutes a rest period called low slack tide allows boats to navigate the Falls. Once the tide is higher than the river, the reversal of the current occurs and continues until high tide. The water rises up to 14 1/2 feet above sea level in the gorge.
Then the tide slowly descends but still flows inland until it is at river level again (high slack). After 20 minutes rest, the river resumes its natural flow and the tide drops away to low tide revealing the rapids and whirlpools again.
View this wonder from three vantage points - Fallsview Park, Split Rock Café observation deck and the Reversing Falls lookout on the Harbour Passage.
