Discovering New Brunswick's Well-Kept Secret

Fredericton and the St. John River (Photo courtesy of Tourism Fredericton)

Fredericton and the Upper St. John River

By Mike Gridley

Across Canada, there are multitudes of well-known and popular cruising waters explored by many boaters. However, the keyword here is “many.” It is nice to discover a new destination (at least new to me) that is a little bit of paradise only well-known to the folks that call it their home waters. The upper St. John River in New Brunswick is one well-kept secret, but local boaters were more than happy to share it with us this summer.

The St. John River starts its over 400-mile journey in Somerset County, Maine, heads northeastward to Edmundston, New Brunswick, then flows southeast to form part of the Canada/U.S. border until it turns near Grand Falls and enters entirely into New Brunswick. The river continues through the Upper St. John River Valley down to the Mactaquac Dam.

It is below the dam, just above Fredericton, where the river opens up, becoming navigable for recreational boaters. The stretch of the river from Fredericton down to Oromocto and Gagetown, then into Grand Lake, is the most popular section of the river. Not that the waterway ends here. The St. John River continues until it empties into the Bay of Fundy at Saint John.

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NOTE: This feature destination will appear on the 2011 season of PowerBoat Television. For broadcasters and airtimes, please visit powerboattv.com.