Waterfall Detail: Dr. Loring Bailey stated in his report on the Mines & Mineral of New Brunswick in 1864 that “a succession of romantic falls & rapids working their way backwards over the slate strata outcrops at Nickadoo Falls, running east &west injected with limestone, quartz, copper pyrites and lead.”
Little has changed in almost 150 years. The ravine is rich in unique geological structures. Millions of years ago as the continents collided the geology was folded back on itself. This is evident today as the strata exposed by the wear of the river, is tilted vertically running east and west. The power of the river continues to cut a twisting ravine through.
The falls is one of the two larger waterfalls on the Nigadoo River. The first, Upper Nigadoo Falls is located in the Chaleur Highlands several kilometers inland from the bay. The river system is sourced by several lakes, bogans and streams and has forged a path through the tailings of the Appalachians Mountains to the Bay of Chaleur.
The more widely visited falls is south of Route 11 in the Village of Nigadoo. The property belongs to the O’Connell Family, which established their homestead here upon arriving from Ireland. They received a land grant along the Dunlop Road in Beresford Parish. In 1830 the family settled along the south side of the river.
Visit Detail: The early morning air on this frosty May morning is biting as I descend into the ravine at Nigadoo Falls. My face and hands are cold and my camera lens immediately steams up once it is exposed to the air. The sun is not high enough to escape the tall pine that shroud the area to brighten it and warm the air. My tripod securely in place between two rocks I quietly enjoy the waterfall while waiting for the camera to acclimatize.
My first impression is that this is not a place I would visit again. The area is trodden over and there is plenty of broken glass and litter strewn about as well as several fire-pits. Further down in the gorge there is a large mural painted on the granite face. Some fool has painted Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”. This once beautiful area shows the scars of overuse and disrespect. I can only image how wonderful this waterfall was to O’Connell Family.
From looking at the graffiti and the litter I can fully understand why the family does not want people on their property. I hope this post motivates conscientious individuals to take a stand and tell people to stop the littering and defacing of the area. It is worthwhile visiting and when you do help respect the area by hauling out some of the trash as I did on this beautiful morning.
The picture posted was submitted by Rod O’Connell. Rod owns the property near the falls and was out on Christmas Day enjoying our natural world.
