The Digby Gut is a narrow channel connecting the Bay of Fundy

Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...

 with the Annapolis Basin

Annapolis Basin

The Annapolis Basin is a sub-basin of the Bay of Fundy, located on the southwestern shores of the bay, along the northwestern shore of Nova Scotia and at the western end of the Annapolis Valley....

. The town of Digby, Nova Scotia

Digby, Nova Scotia

Digby is a Canadian town in western Nova Scotia. It is the shiretown and largest population centre in Digby County.The town is situated on the western shore of the Annapolis Basin near the entrance to the Digby Gut which connects the basin to the Bay of Fundy.Named after Admiral Robert Digby, RN,...

 is located on the inner portion of the western side of the Gut. The eastern entrance is marked by the Point Prim lighthouse. Strong tidal currents, numerous rocky ledges, frequent fogs and unpredictable winds make it a dangerous passage requiring a pilot or local knowledge. Tide flows create 5 Knot tidal currents and create numerous whirlpools and eddies. The gut is about a half nautical mile in width and bordered by high rocky cliffs. It marks a break in the North Mountain

North Mountain (Nova Scotia)

North Mountain is a narrow southwest-northeast trending volcanic mountain range on the mainland portion of southwestern Nova Scotia, stretching from Brier Island to Cape Split...

 ridge along the Annapolis Valley

Annapolis Valley

The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...

 and is the eastern end of Digby Neck

Digby Neck

Digby Neck is a Canadian peninsula extending into the Bay of Fundy in Digby County, Nova Scotia.Digby Neck is the western extension of the North Mountain range from the Annapolis Valley and is made of two thick lava flows. It is separated from the eastern portion of the North Mountain by a deep,...

. Digby Gut had its origins as the northern terminus of the ancient Bear River, part of which is now a drowned river valley.

Digby Gut is overlooked by the Digby Pines Resort

Digby Pines Resort

The Digby Pines Resort is a seasonal coastal resort hotel located at Digby, Nova Scotia on the shores of the Annapolis Basin. The Pines is owned by the Province of Nova Scotia and is one of the province's three "Signature Resorts," along with in Liscombe Mills and Keltic Lodge in Ingonish...

 and has been used daily for many years by Digby-Saint John

Saint John, New Brunswick

City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...

 ferries such as the SS Princess Helene

SS Princess Helene

SS Princess Helene was a historic Canadian passenger and freight ferry operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway .The Princess of Helene was built in 1930 at Dumbarton, Scotland...

 and MV Princess of Acadia

MV Princess of Acadia (1971)

MV Princess of Acadia is a passenger and car ferry that travels between Digby, Nova Scotia and Saint John, New Brunswick, crossing the Bay of Fundy. The vessel holds 650 passengers and can take 165 cars....

. The famous poet Bliss Carman

Bliss Carman

Bliss Carman FRSC was a Canadian poet who lived most of his life in the United States, where he achieved international fame. He was acclaimed as Canada's poet laureate during his later years....

wrote a classic Canadian poem of courage about a fearless twelve-year-old sailor who single-handedly sailed a schooner through Digby Gut during a storm, entitled "Arnold, Master of the Scud".