The Musquash Estuary is located just 20 km southwest of Saint John, New Brunswick, and is surrounded by public access points for hiking and paddling. The geocache site, created by the Conservation Council of New Brunswick (CCNB), can be reached from Route 1 by taking the Lorneville exit #112 in west Saint John, driving 7 km to Coleson Cove Generating Station, and then travelling 2.75 km down a dirt road to Black Beach (drive carefully! Road conditions vary with season). You can park right at the beach. Cache is not accesible at high water, rocks surrounding cache may be slippery .
The Musquash Estuary is the largest undeveloped, natural estuary in the Bay of Fundy. This productive estuary and saltmarsh is home to many birds, mammals, fish, invertebrates, and marine plants. For example, over 290 species of birds have been spotted in the Estuary, including abundant waterfowl and shorebirds. Beaver, fox, deer, moose, muskrats, harbour seal and even the occasional porpoise can also be found in the area.
The Musquash Estuary plays an important role in the heritage of the region. Aboriginal groups are thought to have established seasonal camps along the shores of the Estuary. French settlers and, later, United Empire Loyalists have also been associated with early settlements in the area. Today, the surrounding community continues to use the Estuary for fishing, harvesting marine plants, and recreation.
In 1998 the Conservation Council of New Brunswick (CCNB), with support from the Fundy North Fishermen’s Association and the local community, proposed the Musquash Estuary and surrounding intertidal area as a candidate Marine Protected Area (MPA) under the Oceans Act. In December 2006 The Musquash Estuary, including the waters, marshes, and intertidal zone, received formal designation as a protected area. The Musquash MPA and administered intertidal area are managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in collaboration with an advisory committee composed of representatives from government, non-government organizations, First Nations, industry, and local community groups. In recognition of the importance of the area, complimentary conservation efforts by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ducks Unlimited, and the Province of New Brunswick have led to the protection of the majority of the lands surrounding the Estuary, as well as the watershed that feeds the Estuary.
Relevance to the Gulf of Maine:
The Musquash estuary is unique in the area due to its large size and natural state, including the largest intact salt marsh remaining on the New Brunswick side of the Bay of Fundy. With the mosaic of marine and terrestrial conservation measures in place, the Musquash watershed is the only watershed in the province that is protected from headwaters to the ocean.
This geocache is part of the Gulf of Maine Council Geotour across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. You can earn a limited edition geocoin for accumulating 100 points in the tour. Details for the geotour can be found at the GOMC website. To play, download the full geotour passport.