
When I ask the good folks of Albert County what the Hopewell Rocks means to them, the answers can be as varied as the people themselves. For some it’s just the photo on their Medicare card but for many, it’s a whole lot more.
I often hear coming-of-age stories of youth experiencing their first summer jobs among excited travelers. I hear of church picnics and family gatherings outside the old Pavilion. For some it’s the draw that brings the guests to their bed & breakfasts and restaurants and for more than one, it’s memories of that first stolen kiss under Lover’s Arch. Undeniably, the Hopewell Rocks have found their way into the hearts of many New Brunswickers.

As many of you know, rock falls are not uncommon along the Bay of Fundy Shore. It seems like only yesterday that Red Head crumbled to the beach in Waterside. Gone but not forgotten, the walk between Waterside and Dennis Beach is still breathtaking. Equally so, Elephant Rock is not gone, but merely changed. The formation still towers 40 feet above the beach and once the rubble erodes, who knows what new faces may emerge from the aftermath. I prefer to see it as a caterpillar preparing for a big change; only to be reborn into a new creature of beauty.
Elephant Rock is only one of many fascinating formations on the Hopewell Rocks shores. He stands among the Bear, ET, Mother-in-law, Apple, Dinosaur, Lover’s Arch, the Sentinel, Diamond and many unnamed that remain equally captivating. Many may remember formations such as The Twins, Spinning Top, Indian Head, Smokey The Bear and Man’s head that have long since eroded away but remain in our memories and photo albums.
On Sunday May 29th, the Hopewell Rocks will be hosting their annual Albert County Appreciation Day. Entry fees will be waived in exchange for a donation to the Shepody Food Bank. We encourage everyone to come out and support the community on that day. Take a guided tour along the beach to see the latest changes, grab a bite to eat in the restaurant, be some of the first to try out our brand new stairs that lead to the ocean floor, or just relax on one of our benches and enjoy the sweet ocean breeze.
Kevin Snair is Supervisor of Interpretive Services at The Hopewell Rocks, a professional commercial photographer, and author of Bay of Fundy’s Hopewell Rocks. The book is available throughout New Brunswick or online through www.chocolateriverpublishing.ca