Return to Tobermory...

Seizing the opportunity of a few days calm, Dianne and I made our way North to Tobermory this week. Ye Gods, it's a journey and a half, but worth it.. We stayed in a really delightful rental cottage near Big Tub and managed a total of four dives. The weather caused us to lose a day, but that's life. We were intent on re-visiting the Arabia, undoubtedly the most impressive of all the wrecks in the Marine Park. Conditions when we did were excellent. About 60 feet of visibility and only the lightest of currents. The blue hue of the water in the area between Georgian Bay and Lake Huron is extraordinary - and the absence of Zebra Mussels means that the wrecks retain their definition. Construction details really stand out. Kingston has many more, and better, wrecks than Tobermory, but the dive conditions there are outstanding. There was much discussion early this year of a Club trip to Tobermory. Now's the time to get something on the books for 2011.

Of all the boats in all the World...

So, you travel 550 Km to Tobermory, arrange a dive charter and find yourself on the same boat as three other Club members, Andrew, Etienne and Darren. That's a pleasant surprise on a perfect dive day. The guys were spending the holiday weekend with a friend up here. The good news, they got the opportunity to dive two of Tobermory's best wrecks; the Forest City and the Niagara II.



The Forest City broke up after losing an argument with one of the many islands, the Niagara was sunk deliberately in 1999 to attract divers to the Marine Park. Visibility, again, was amazing. It has to be in the order of 80 feet or better. The water temperature though, is stubbornly stuck around the 39℉ (4℃) mark. Good for about 30 minutes, which is fine given that the depths are fairly well up there (120' on the Forest City - not the deepest point - and somewhere around 80' - again, not the deepest point - on the Niagara.)




Back to Kingston tomorrow, but probably not before we make another shore dive this afternoon.

Tobermory Tales...the sequel...

The second day in Tobermory has been mildly frustrating. Brilliant sunshine belied the strong, cold Westerly winds. Net result - no sailings to the dive sites today. Instead, determined to dive, we took one of the few shore options open - a site called The Tugs, just at the edge of Little Tub harbour. About 4 or 5 old working vessels have been abandoned here. They are about a century old in most cases, exhibiting wooden construction and early steam boilers.



The good news is that they lie in about 30 feet of water or less, making them readily accessible and the water just a shade warmer.

We also visited the Parks Canada Visitor Centre this morning. They have a great gallery featuring the treasures of the Bruce Peninsula, which includes a good section on diving and the shipwreck history of the region; recommended highly to anyone coming up this way.

Tobermory Tales...

A long-held ambition to visit Tobermory has been realized this weekend. Although conditions have been less than ideal - high winds, fairly heavy seas and rain - the trip was made immediately worthwhile this morning when, at 90 feet, the wreck of the Arabia loomed out of the depths. She's a magnificent old schooner, with a largely intact bow, many fittings intact and in place and NO zebra mussels. The block lies just off the starboard bow and you immediately see - in about 60+ feet of visibility - the bowsprit, bow, twin anchors and railings. A massive windlass sits between the anchors.

The centre section and deck have collapsed, and the stern is largely gone, but good management has seen to it that deadeyes, shackles, much rigging and other fittings remain to fascinate divers.

One slight downside today was the water temperature. It brought back memories of the Lake a month or two ago. The bottom temperature on the wreck was 39℉ (4℃). Nevertheless, with a dive time of 30 minutes for a max of 96 feet, this was a great experience.

A second dive, on the James. C. King, a schooner that sank while under tow as a barge, was less exciting. She lies bow down on the rocky slope of an island, massive timbers still very evidently showing her substantial construction. But, there's little else to recommend a visit. Visibility though, again, was fantastic.