200 Million Years in the Making

     On the south side of the Bay of Fundy is a peninsula known as the Digby Neck. 

It was formed from a volcanic ridge and, farther inland, forms the northern edge of the Annapolis Valley.  About halfway towards the western end of Digby Neck is a unique feature that is well worth the effort to view it.   After taking a 2.5 km well-groomed trail and a 235-step staircase, you come to the amazing balancing rock overlooking St. Mary's Bay


     Here is what the interpretation board says about the Balancing Rock:

     About 200 million years ago, during what geologists call the latest Triassic Period, molten rock, or lava, welled up from deep within the earth and poured through cracks at the surface. This event was part of the breaking up of the supercontinent Pangea and the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. These lavas, in the future Bay of Fundy region, formed three separate units of basalt rock and are collectively about half a kilometre thick. The oldest layer of rock, on the bottom, and youngest layer, on the top, consisted of individual lava flows that cooled to form resistant rock. Between these two thick units is a middle layer formed of several thinner, gassy lava flows that formed more porous and less resistant basalt. These layers form today the North Mountain, Digby Neck and the islands.
     Balancing Rock is port of the oldest, lowest, and most resistant basalt unit that erupted as more fluid lava covered much of the Fundy area. When the lava stopped flowing and cooled, it cracked to form 5 to 7 sided column-like structures. Later tectonic forces in the crust accentuated and added to these fractures. Finally, weathering and erosion, especially from crashing waves of the bay took advantage of the cracks to reveal columns such as Balancing Rock. The thousands of rocky columns that line this shore of St. Mary's Bay formed in a similar way.
     Balancing Rock has only recently become a destination for visitors, but was long known to the local fishermen sailing by. The story goes that a fisherman once tied a rope around the rock and tried to haul it off its perch -- without success. He was no match for the forces that hold the rock in place. One cubic metre of the basalt here weighs about 3 tonnes, so you can see that before modern technology, it could not be moved.

The 2.5 km trail

The beginning of the 235 steps down to the platform where you
can view Balancing Rock.

Going back up the stairs.

Balancing Rock

Bev trying to push the rock off its perch. Ha, ha!

      We certainly got our exercise that day going to see Balancing Rock. It is amazing to see this phenomenon. It looks like a wind would blow it over but even after several hurricanes have blown past over the last century, it is still firmly planted.